My Nala Hair Extensions

Nala Hair Extensions: 
Website     Facebook    Instagram

Recently, I did something I thought I’d never do, and had sometimes scoffed at others for doing – I got hair extensions.  This piece will very much seem like a paid promotion, but it isn’t.  It is, however, an unashamed endorsement for the business who did my extensions because of the difference it has made to me, and if I had not come across their social media page, I’d never have considered having them.

To me, hair extensions, although they look nice and have come a long way in the past few years from looking ridiculously synthetic, seemed too much trouble.  Still, I had inquired about getting them and had been in fact warned off them by a local hairdresser – she said she had seen too many cases of the person’s real hair being damaged by extensions and that they were too hard to look after.  Fair play to that hairdresser because her own salon could have made a lot of money from me that day and just fitted them for me, but she was honest and said I should concentrate on getting my own hair into better condition.

So, as far as I was concerned, extensions were for other people.  Not me.  I wistfully looked at ladies and girls in pictures and real life with long hair and resigned myself to never having it myself. I wished mine could grow past shoulder length without looking ratty, but could never seem to do anything with it, bar do my roots and give myself the occasional trim.  On rare occasions it looked okay, quite nice even, but mostly I’d have to spend ages in front of the mirror trying to get it to look good, often to no avail.  Add to this that I’m pushing 45, and you may understand why my self-esteem regarding my appearance was not always great.

I accidentally came across the page for Nala Hair Extensions, owned by Karolina Raczka, whilst idly browsing through social media one day.  I’m not sure if it was originally on Facebook or Instagram I saw it (she has a presence on both), but I noticed that she fixed other people’s hair – people who’d had unsuccessful applications of extensions.  There were pictures of the state of their hair before going to her, and how good it looked afterwards.  It wasn’t always full heads of hair applied at Nala Hair Extensions - there were people with very fine hair who she gave an aesthetic boost to by adding a small amount of extensions – it made all the difference. She was using a method rarely, if ever, used in Ireland, called Kera Wax.  It was much kinder to hair, even fragile hair, it appeared, than any other method.  What’s more, this lady who was using this method was in my home town of Balbriggan. 

I decided that maybe I should give consideration to having extensions after all, but only with her.  Like any extensions, they were not going to be cheap, but her prices were certainly not extortionate – in fact they were more than reasonable considering the time she spends dying the hair by hand and sourcing the hair.  As stated and illustrated on her social media page, she sources virgin Slavic hair and Russian hair in individual ponytails, not pre-packaged like many salons.  I decided it was worth the sacrifice, even if I had to get a small loan, and I would go for a consultation.

Therefore, I contacted Karolina, made an appointment for application for 21st December, and the consultation appointment for 3 days beforehand.  Nala Hair Extensions is run from Karolina’s home, which is only 10 minutes’ walk from my own.  The consultation was very reassuring, Karolina was lovely, we agreed a price, and I could hardly wait until application day. It was agreed that Slavic virgin hair would be more suitable for me than Russian, as my hair is quite fine. We decided she would match the Slavic virgin hair to my own hair and also put in a little bit of brown to add some interest and “break it up”. When the day finally came, the application took 3 hours, during which she put on Box Sets of Big Bang Theory for me and we chatted.  When it was finished, I could hardly believe how good it looked.  It was wonderful.  Finally, the long, wavy hair I’d always dreamed of!  It looked so natural, too.

I’ve had the extensions two weeks today.  How have they been?  Fabulous!  None of the extensions have come out. Kera Wax bonds are so much easier to manage than other bond methods, I was advised by Karolina.  She is right.  Yes, it is a new way of looking after your hair, as all the time you have to be aware of being careful, even down to putting a bag on your shoulder, that the hair doesn’t get caught in it.  But when you’ve made a financial investment like that in your hair, of course you’re going to be more careful with it anyway – unless you have lots of money to throw away, which I certainly don’t.   You are automatically more careful when brushing your hair.  There are things one has to do like always ensure to blow dry the bond part of the hair after washing, and sleep with hair in a braid to avoid tangling. I purchased a hair extension brush (well, 2 actually, one for spare!) in Penney’s for €3.50, and a paddle brush and round brush from Boots (own brand) which are softer and more suitable for hair extensions.  I also purchased a tangle teasing brush from my local discount shop for less than €5.00 for when hair is wet.  Also, it is advised to use sulphate-free shampoo.  I did purchase some sulphate-free shampoo and I do use it, but not every time I wash my hair.  The thing I don’t like about sulphate-free is that it doesn’t lather up, and so shampooing is a bit more of a pain – if it’s been a few days you wonder if you’re really getting your hair clean or not.  So sometimes I do use “ordinary” shampoo as well – I alternate.  Of course, I use deep conditioner on the lengths – the extensions are real hair and will be as susceptible to dryness as any other hair.  It’s important to keep the hair looking healthy.  Night-washing is probably better than morning washing as, after drying the bonds of the hair, I like to try to let the rest of the hair dry naturally so there isn’t too much heat exposure. The hair extensions are still a lot easier to look after than I thought extensions would be, no doubt because of the Kera Wax bonding method. 

There are so many practical advantages to the extensions.  One thing is that you will probably get one or two more days (or maybe even more) out of your hair between washes, because the oil from the roots doesn’t travel to the ends like it would start to with your own hair.  Another is that it saves time in front of the mirror because once you’ve brushed, you’re pretty much good to go, bar if you want to put your hair up or back of course.  You won’t be thinking “urgh no that looks horrible” and fiddling around with it, as you might have pre-extensions.  You know your hair looks fine. 

Regarding after care, it will be required that you go back to Nala Hair Extensions every twelve weeks (although it will be ten weeks after the initial application) in order to get the bonds repositioned, as the hair grows.  But that’s expected, and it will keep the hair looking fresh.  Again, there is a cost involved, but not anything like the initial application.  If you have coloured hair like mine, it can still be coloured.  Try to avoid the bonds, although with Kera Wax bonds, it is possible to colour them.  Karolina recommended a local hairdressers to me – House of Hair - which is used to colouring her clients after they’ve had extensions applied, should I not want to do it myself.  I did my roots prior to having the extensions applied so it’ll be another few weeks before I have to colour the roots again.  A T-bar may be advisable rather than all-over colour.  We’ll see.

How do the hair extensions make me feel?  They have improved my confidence no end.  At 45 this month, and feeling like my age was catching up with me, I just wanted to feel more presentable, and hell, even glamourous.  This was my Christmas and birthday present to myself, as I never spend any serious money on myself.  Most of my money goes on my children, like most mothers, and when it comes to myself, I’m quite stingy about what I spend.  This time was the exception.  Uncharacteristically for me, I also got my nails done and might have re-fills every so often. Looking down at nice nails cheers me up. But back to the hair. No matter what is going on in my life, I know that my hair looks good.  For a woman, the hair is so much part of the identity, rightly or wrongly.  If our hair doesn’t look good, we don’t feel we look good overall.  It really has made an enormous difference to the way I feel and the way I carry myself.  I can go out in public or to work and not feel I look crappy.  I’m so thrilled that I “accidentally” found Nala Hair Extensions on social media because I feel my hair can look good without any damage being done to my own hair.  The Kera Wax bonding method originated in Germany around ten years ago and is used a lot in Poland.  Given that the method is so fabulous, I am surprised it is not extensively used in Ireland.  Who wouldn’t want hair extensions applied using this method, when it’s so kind to hair, and looks so natural?  However, it does mean that Nala Hair Extensions, and Karolina who owns it, are more exclusive, and I can enjoy them for a little longer before everybody starts to want to go to her!  Everyone who has discovered her would never go back to anyone else for extensions.  

I intend to have the extensions for as long as I can keep affording them (having the bonds repositioned).  Cannot see myself wanting to give them up easily!  Thank you, Nala Hair Extensions and Karolina, for giving me the hair I’ve always dreamed of.  You’ve made an ageing lady very happy.

Louis Theroux – How We’ve All Grown Up Together.

Watching last night’s Louis Theroux “Talking to Anorexia”, and also the recent trilogy “Dark States”, I’ve been struck by Louis’ transition into serious documentary-maker and more rounded human being.  His emotional connection and sympathy for the people in his documentaries seems to be more visible.  His discomfort and helplessness at their situation is closer to the surface.  The camera close-ups of his facial expressions reveals a depth we may not have seen quite so much when he was younger, because naturally, the life experiences were different. One suspects that because he is a family man now, he might be feeling more paternal, and perhaps wondering how he’d feel if it were his daughter or son.  

When Louis first started out, it was as a spectator of weirdness in all its forms, whether it be people who believed in aliens, or swingers, or survivalists. He immersed himself in the worlds of the participants of the films, in order to better understand where they were coming from.  It wasn’t too long before he started spending time with certain British celebrities who could be described as “eccentric” to say the least.  I’ve covered Savile in another post and so won’t go over it again here, but the films with The Jangly Beast and Max Clifford will of course be seen in a different light now that some of their crimes are public knowledge.  The Max Clifford episode was one I didn’t really enjoy at the time, because of the pointless game-playing that Clifford indulged in.  The films always worked best when there was more warmth between Louis and his subjects.

My father introduced me to the work of Louis Theroux around 2000 or 2001 (even if he did pronounce his name at the time as “Louis Ferrouey” – sorry Dad!).  The episode with the swingers in America was the first piece of work I saw.  That night I had a dream that I was stuck in a room with writhing naked bodies of older, not particularly attractive, people – thanks for that Louis!  I was single at the time and still living at home. 

I would watch the Anna Nicole Smith reality show around that time, the irony escaping me that as I was thinking how sad it was that she was going around with slurred speech hooked on tranquilisers and goodness knows what else, I was also hooked on sleeping pills and the odd Xanax.  I can only guess what Louis would have made of that, had I been a well-known subject of his.  But anyway, I overcame that, and went on to marry and have 2 children.  A few years later, I separated from my husband, and we both formed new relationships with new partners, whom we are still with.  Throughout it all, Louis and his documentaries were there, and he himself was going through his own life changes.

Relationship break-ups and becoming a parent cannot fail to change a person, and hopefully make them grow up, adding more layers to the personality.  Whilst I may not have been a child when I first watched Louis Theroux’s work, I certainly had a lot of growing up to do.  As is the case with most people, the same is probably true of Louis.  As the years went by, Louis was tackling more serious subjects, and becoming somewhat of a national treasure.

Louis seems a lot more comfortable with the spotlight now, even appearing relatively recently with his wife on a celebrity edition of “Pointless”.  It’s something I cannot imagine the Louis of, say, 2001, doing, as well-known as he was even then.  By the way did I mention that his wife Nancy Strang used to follow me on Twitter on my old “Miss Lanor” account? I cringe at the crap posts she would have seen from me, but never mind.  Anyway, Louis was always uncomfortable with being the celebrity himself, only engaging with the press if and when he really had to.  Now, however, he seems to accept that he is well-known and may as well enjoy it.  Whilst he still does not appear to court celebrity, he probably figures he may as well enjoy some of its trappings – he’s bloody well earned it after all, and done his time.

One piece of work he did which was on a subject affecting me, was the one on dementia and Alzheimer’s.  I watched it before my mother was diagnosed, and then after, when it was repeated.  Of course it had much more significance after.  When Louis was left to look after a lady with dementia for the day, whilst her husband went out for a while, he was rather good at it – the distraction techniques he used, and his usual thing of not patronising his subjects, meant that pretty much anyone should be happy to leave their loved one in his care for a day!

Louis and his documentaries have been pretty much a constant in our lives for over 15 years.  He’s changed, and so have we.  In a way, everything has changed for me.  And then, in a way, when my children’s father has them and I’m in my father’s house watching Louis with him, it’s almost a confirmation that some things don’t – the good things.  My father introduced me to Louis, and now my boyfriend/partner also watches Louis with me.  I would not have imagined 15 years ago what my life would be like now – I wasn’t sure I’d still be here to be honest, or even if I wanted to be, at times.  But I’m certainly glad I stuck around, and I’m glad Louis is still making documentaries, with each passing year getting even better, as he matures.  If he keeps going the way he is, I can see him being on our screens for many years to come, and being regarded, as indeed he already is, as one of the greatest documentary makers of our time.

Louis Theroux and Jimmy Savile - "It's Only Obvious if You Know the Answer"

Am I jumping on a bandwagon here by posting about this? Probably, but I write when I have something to say, so I'll say it. Firstly, I was not impressed by today's Daily Fail piece on the "Savile" documentary by Louis Theroux last night, with the headline containing the words "viewers left sickened by....". This piece was adding to the voices of those who imagined that Louis should have seen Savile for exactly what he was, and acted like some kind of hero back in the early 2000s, doing what no-one else had been able to do, and help bring Savile to justice.

It's on record that Louis did report to the BBC that he had seen Savile acting inappropriately with a young woman in a restaurant, but nothing was done about it. How exactly would Louis have been able to help bring Savile down anyway, even if he had been fully aware of exactly the type of monster he was dealing with? The Jangly Beast had evaded police prosecution, had a history of being litigious, and he had obtained Louis' private home address for goodness sake! He also had many friends in high places. What could Louis have done that no-one else was able to do?

It's easy to be an expert with the benefit of hindsight. It's easy to say "Oh I always knew Savile was a wrong 'un and I hated 'Jim'll Fix It'". For some people that statement is genuinely true. But "Jim'll Fix It" had millions of viewers and ran for about 20 years, with no shortage of people writing in and asking for their dreams to be made reality. If the amount of people who say they hated it, really did, then surely it wouldn't have stayed on the air. Let's face it, whilst in later years most of us thought Savile eccentric, we were duped. There's no shame in admitting that. It's on him, not on us. A psychopath might give clues which, with hindsight, were obvious, but generally they are very good at covering their tracks.

Plenty of us have known people who we later found out were capable of horrible things. I myself worked with a man years ago in a well known Irish bank, and he seemed a lovely man. Very mild mannered and inoffensive. A family man. Imagine my shock when, years later, I was reading the paper on my lunch hour in another job, and saw that man's face on one of the pages, with an article underneath it reporting that he had committed suicide because he'd been prosecuted for having child porn on his computer.

As Louis Theroux himself said in the documentary last night "Evil people can do good things". Savile knew how to charm people. I can remember even feeling a bit sorry for Savile in the original documentary, aired back in 2001, as he didn't seem to have any real friends and lived a very solitary life. I even found it funny when he was evading Louis' questions and saying "He's on the ropes!".  I can understand how he must have charmed Louis. Even though Louis had heard unsavoury things about Savile, along with so many others, that is not the same as having proof. Savile was too well connected to be touched anyway. If police forces couldn't bring him down (it's known that he was a suspect in the Yorkshire Ripper case, for instance) , what chance had anyone else got? So for people who pick out various BBC personalities and say that it's all very well admitting after his death that they'd heard the rumours - well what could they have done about it exactly? He would have still gotten away with it even if they reported him. However it came to be that way, the fact was, he was untouchable because of whoever and whatever he was involved with, and there wasn't a hope in hell he was going to be brought down because it would have implicated too many others in high places. Same as another celebrity, still living, that I believe will not be touched until after his death, when it will all come out.

And yes, I liked "Jim'll Fix It". I liked Jimmy Savile as a presenter. And, as hard and horrific as it is to admit it, I thought he seemed good with children and was the best person for the show. I watched things he also presented like "Play It Safe" as well. I'd enjoy it when he'd turn up as a "talking head" on retrospective programmes. In his later years he seemed ever more eccentric, and became more embarrassing, and this did also come across in Louis' original documentary on him. But no, I won't try to sound more perceptive than I actually was, and pretend that I was never hoodwinked by him, because I was. And I don't think there is any shame in me, or anyone else, being in that predicament. A paedophile and psychopath is not going to advertise it are they, except to those they actually abuse. Sure, they'll give clues, and tell us what they are sometimes, but we'll laugh and dismiss it as a joke until it's all come out in the open.

It was before his death that I was told, by a friend of a friend on FB, to Google Savile and Jersey. I did, and then.... well, then I knew. So the revelations after his death were not a surprise to me, except for the sheer scale of his crimes. Since then, I've come to believe, partly from the research done by my friend Thomas Sheridan, that Savile was more of a monster than most people would ever or could ever countenance. Here is a blog to start you all off with, if you want to go down that route, and do search out Thomas' other work on Savile.

So Louis Theroux, I believe, did a good job in the original documentary, and in last night's one. He did what he could do, with the knowledge and perception that he had. Yes, he was charmed to a certain extent (that's on Savile, not on Louis). He is human, not psychic. What is obvious now was not obvious then. So keep on being a brilliant documentary maker Louis - be proud, not guilty.

A Stroke of Luck!

Well well well, look at this article in The Mirror!  

How fortuitous for the BBC that such an article would appear, and that the police have referred themselves (yes, referred themselves, fancy that!) for investigation. The legal proceedings which Tony has allegedly brought against the BBC may now be delayed, and the public support which Tony has, may suffer a slight dent (only amongst the dim, so no great loss) as some of them wonder "What if it was covered up because there was something in it?". This is probably exactly what the BBC wants people to wonder, of course. Anything to detract from the fact that one of the most prolific and depraved sex offenders, and possibly worse, worked for them, seemingly unchecked, for many years.  The vast majority of people are clued in, much to the BBC's chagrin, probably, about what kind of man Tony Blackburn is, and legions of people can attest to his propriety and professionalism. 

So yes, the police referred themselves for investigation, eh? Remember Tony was interviewed on BBC Radio 4 and said that if there was an allegation at the time, then he indeed should have been investigated? Well, how kind of the police to kindly oblige, all these years later. I can just imagine the big bosses at the BBC: "Oh you think there should have been an investigation? Well now you'll get one alright! See how smug you feel about your legal action and your public support now!". 

The Mirror article is so carefully worded - one can just imagine their lawyers going through it to ensure clearance for publication. It would be laughable if it wasn't a 73 year old man's life, family and livelihood being affected. And for what? His recollection of events being different from the BBC's. 

Other broadcasters such as Iain Lee, Danny Baker, and Martin Kelner also know what it's like to be treated shoddily by the BBC, so Tony is not alone. They will probably recognise this new development for what it most likely is, too.

"Awful Auntie" and Tony Blackburn

Regrettably, this is not a review of the excellent David Walliams’ book, which my children adore, but some reflections on the bizarre situation in which Tony Blackburn has found himself with the BBC, which was affectionately known in years gone by, as Auntie.  Right now, however, amongst the public, media, and Tony’s fellow broadcasters, there is about as much affection for the BBC as a Rottweiler would have for someone who tried to touch his food.  I apologise to all Rottweilers for mentioning the BBC in the same sentence as them.

“There once was a DG called Hall;

Who needed someone to take a fall;

He picked on poor Tony;

But the public were moany;

Now DG has no job at all.”

Oh how I’d love for the above to come true!

How convenient for the BBC, that just as the Dame Janet Smith Savile report, surprise surprise, concluded that top level management at the BBC did not know about Savile’s atrocities (Come on, did you really expect any other finding? Really?  If so, then you’re very naïve.), that our focus should be taken off the actual conclusion by the bizarre sacking of a legendary broadcaster. 

Tony and the BBC are at odds regarding whether or not he was interviewed in 1971 regarding Claire McAlpine by BBC management staff.  He says he wasn’t; they say he was.  From what I know of the man, I believe that he would have answered honestly, whatever questions were put to him.  I can easily imagine pressure being put on him to change his answers so that they tallied with the BBC’s version, but he was adamant that the interviews did not take place. Even if it were to turn out he was mistaken (and somehow I think he’d remember something as important at the time as that), I still don’t believe that would be a good enough reason to sack him.

As much of a fan of Tony’s as I’ve always been, even I have been surprised at just how much outpouring of support there has been for him.  There’ll always be a few morons who’ll spout accusatory, poorly-spelled comments, but they really have been few and far between.  The vast majority see the situation as outrageous and totally unjust.  “Civilians” and celebrities alike have been united in expressing their utter disgust and disbelief.

The allegations made in 1971 were not the issue, but it is worth mentioning that even memos from that year show that the BBC felt it would have been totally out of character (doubt they ever felt that about Jimmy Savile) for him to have behaved in the way the allegations said he did, and that it was highly unlikely there was any substance to the claims. The internet has also been rife, since the revelation of his sacking, with people who’ve spent time in his presence when younger, saying how safe they felt with him, and that he didn’t act in a sleazy manner.  In his autobiography “Poptastic” (highly recommended by the way), I distinctly remember him mentioning how he used to prefer to date people closer to his age and didn’t bother with much younger women.

Tony Blackburn had been one of the celebrities helping publicise the campaign to “Save Our BBC”.  He could be forgiven right now for wishing for the complete opposite.  Between Radio 2, Radio Berkshire and Radio London, three BBC stations had the benefit of listeners drawn in by Tony.  He had made a phenomenal success of “Pick of the Pops” .  It’s very hard to see how the BBC think they will recover listenership figures which will inevitably go down, at least for those time slots, first of all simply because Tony won’t be on those stations with his second-to-none DJ-ing skills, but also because fans have sworn they will now boycott these stations.

The BBC have made themselves a laughing stock and scored a spectacular own goal with this action.  They have shown themselves to be completely out of touch with the public.  Tony Blackburn elicits much respect and affection which the other Tony, BBC Director General Mr Hall, never has, and never will. “Awful Auntie” has seriously messed up, and will pay dearly for this mistake.  They failed regarding Savile, the serial sex offender and possibly worse (google Thomas Sheridan’s writings on Savile – that’s all I’ll say), and have been floundering in the dark desperately trying to rectify their image ever since.  Sorry Mr Hall, it’s too late.  No-one else from the celebrity stable can or should pay for Savile, and especially not Tony Blackburn. There will no doubt be a smear campaign by the BBC to make Tony look guilty.  It's started already.  But that will give Tony even more ammunition to get them with in court, and the smart amongst us won't fall for the propaganda. Go get ‘em Tony xx

Light At The End of the Tunnel

What you're going through is temporary. It WILL get better. In the meantime think of all your blessings. You have people who love you. You have a beautiful soul and bestowed upon you is knowledge and a depth of feeling which many do not have. You know many beautiful secrets. You are a survivor. You kick ass. You have proven it time and time again.


Whatever you worry may happen, it will not be nearly as bad as you think it will be. Things will work out for good. Right now you feel you're not living, just existing. You want to be thriving and enjoying life again. Enjoy these quieter moments life has forced upon you. Use the opportunity to just "be" and nourish your soul. I promise you, you will not lose out on anything. You will come back stronger and what is meant to happen, the very best for you, will happen.


Don't let anyone or anything take away your inner peace. It may be disturbed for a while but never lose the essence of you. You are a powerful force. Look at what you have come through thus far!

Live moment by moment - it will all be ok, even in the midst of the most lousy storm. I promise. How do I know? Because I've been there several times. It's always ok. We are made of strong stuff :) But we're being looked after xx

It's All Grand #NoLikesNeeded #Dove

Today I've seen blogs which tie in with the Dove #NoLikesNeeded campaign and thought I'd add my thruppance worth. The premise of the campaign is that we don't need "likes" from others, and our own "like" for ourselves is the only one that counts. I largely agree with this sentiment. Ciara O'Doherty and Leanne Woodfull have done better posts on this, but I think it ties in nicely with the ethos behind Alternative Fashion Fest too, regarding self acceptance etc., so here goes.... 

I feel massively sorry for younger people today, or even people of my age who haven't gotten to that "well I think I'm alright and so do my nearest and dearest, so feck the rest of them" stage. Some people never get to it. But I think it's harder for younger people because they're used to an age where social media and how popular you are on it, is regarded as everything. It can seriously mess with your head if you take it all too seriously and feel you have to document every moment of your life and get loads of likes on it, or else. 

Regarding my own "selfies" - for some reason, people like them on FB, but on Instagram, they're about as popular as a fart in a lift. And that's grand. I normally stick to posting pics of other people anyway on Instagram - the beautiful models in Ireland who I pale in comparison to anyway. It's just funny to observe what gets liked on which site, and what doesn't. But I don't think "urgh, what an ugly piece of crap I am" if a selfie gets no likes. I just think "well love you're 41 and no-one has ever heard of you. They want to see proper experienced models"  (being signed to an agency, which I am - Frasers -  doesn't count when you haven't actually had any work from them!). So I'm okay with that, I'm grand, and delighted to promote others who deserve to be shown to the world, because they are absolutely beautiful. 

There was a profile pic competition on an Irish Pin Ups page recently and just for the craic I submitted a pic. Told no-one but my boyfriend. I wanted to see if it got any likes without lobbying for any. It got 13 (most got hundreds) and again, that was grand. At 41 I was doing well to get any. Again, all grand and just a bit of fun. 

So ladies and gents, if you can have a relaxed attitude towards feedback on posts and pics on social media and even in other areas of life, you'll be fine. If one post, or a few posts aren't popular, what of it? You're alive and you have blessings in your life - loved ones, and whatever other things are going on for you. Some of your posts will be popular and some won't. Some people will respond to you and some won't. Maybe the ones who didn't were just busy. Don't start thinking "aaargh, no-one likes me, I'm worthless". No you're not, you're just not the centre of everyone's universe, just like they are not the centre of yours (if they are, there is something wrong and you need to work on your self esteem). 

Relax and enjoy your life. Everybody has a worthwhile life to lead. All of us. Enjoy "real" life and don't elevate social media above its rightful place. Yes, it's part of all our lives, but don't ever judge your worth by it. Again, YOUR "like" is what matters, regarding yourself xx