The haircut post

Finally, the haircut.

I can't find a before picture. I had JDub take one weeks ago when I thought I'd be getting a haircut. Now I can't find it. Picture it longer and curlier than in our family picture.

But, here's what I look like now, in a picture taken by my Mashuga:

Not a perfect picture, but it'll do. I straighten it like this about half the time and leave it crazy and curly the rest of the time.

The haircut was an interesting experience. First off, I meant to go see my cousin's wife, who usually cuts my hair anytime I want to do something drastic. She always manages to do a PERFECT job and get my hair exactly the way I want it. She lives in my hometown and I don't mind AT ALL driving an hour and a half to have her cut my hair.

But, um, I am both phone-phobic and a huge procrastinator. So, I didn't call her until Friday afternoon. Oh, wait. I didn't even call then. I was going to get the phone, really I was. But, before I could, my Mom called to see if she could get an appointment for me. I was both embarrassed (harassing myself about not just picking up the phone days before) and grateful. Well, she was busy. Of course. What is the likelihood of getting an appointment with a good stylist at 5:30 on Friday evening? Really? Pretty slim.

So, my second choice, the woman who always did my hair as a teenager wasn't available either. And I was really ready to let go of my long hair. It just had to go. So, I decided to take my chances with someone else.

I got there, with a picture in hand of exactly how I wanted my hair. It's the way I had it about 4 years ago and I LOVED it.

She cut a little at a time. I kept waiting for inches to fall off, ready to enjoy the catharsis of watching hair fall to the floor -- taking the stories weaved among each strand with it. This was a monumental haircut for me. I have been feeling like new wine in old bottles for quite some time. I was SO ready for a change.

But, no, she took a little at a time and before my hair was even close to as short as I thought it should be, she started blow drying it.

I knew I was in trouble when she told me to lean forward for her to blow dry it. This is a good trick for people with thin or average, straight hair. A great way to add body. I have naturally curly, thick scottish highlander hair. Body ain't a problem. Getting it to calm down is usually the trick.

But, I decided that I'd trust her. She blow-dried it, and used the curling iron a bit to smooth it. Barely. Then, she started looking like she was done. And I started panicking. We're talking serious anxiety here folks.

It looked awful! It looked like a mushroom shaped Maltese had taken up residence on my head.

"Well?" She asked.

I wanted to shout "Are you kidding me????? It looks HORRIBLE! It looks NOTHING like the picture, NOTHING like what I wanted. It doesn't even look GOOD! How could you even ask me that question?!?"

What I said was, "Don't hate me. But, I think you're going to have to cut a lot more off the front."

"Oh, really?" She said. "Okay. I'd much rather cut a little off at a time and then go shorter, rather than going too short."

Understandable, but how on earth is fungus meets frizzball a good haircut?

So, again, she cut little bits at a time off. Until I finally told her she was going to have to cut off inches in the front to get it the way I wanted.

"Like the picture," I said (in my head, not wanting to be confrontational) "I really did bring the picture because I really DO want it to look like that."

We were eventually able to communicate well enough for her to get the basic shape right. Then, it came down to the thinning. Remember what I said about the Scottish Highlander hair? It doesn't like to lay flat on top of me head. So, it must be liberally thinned on the top and sides.

I told her this.

She thinned the back.

I ran my hands through the top and sides of my hair and told her again exactly where I needed it to be thinner. She didn't believe me, apparently, and again thinned the back.

I tried one more time.

Let's just say my hair lays quite nicely in the back.

I was starting to worry that I was going to run out of hair to thin in the back before I was able to help her understand what I wanted her to do.

I decided that it was time to tell her thanks and pay her before it got any worse.

So, there you go.

I do love my hair short and I am glad I had it cut, even if it's not exactly what I wanted. I got out of the shower after I got home and caught a glance at myself in the mirror.

"Oh, there I am!" I thought.

It was wonderful to look in the mirror and feel very much myself again, something I haven't felt about my appearance for some time now.

It's getting longer now and I'm about ready to break down and get it fixed. It really is a bit too heavy on the top, especially when it's curly.

Soo...

I've never colored my hair and I think I might do that this time.

What do you think? Should I do blonde or red highlights? How drastic should I go with the color?