Stress Relief

Last week, when my Mom was hospitalized, I cut my hair... in the hotel bathroom...with pretty scissors I bought at Target

...without a comb or a hand mirror.

Just so you know, I did clean up the hairy mess in the hotel bathroom.

This is not the first time I have done such a thing but it is the first time I wondered if it is my own little form of stress relief. 

In my defense, I did go to a hairdresser first. I showed her a photo. She glanced briefly at it and then told me she didn't need to see it anymore. Then, she gave me a haircut that she thought I would like, with not much regard to that photo. Later, back with Mom, we found long hairs hanging out that she hadn't cut and big chunks of hair she'd attacked with one chop, leaving the hair looking rather weird in the back. I was going to try to live with it but it was so uneven! And I desperately need "even"!

Sometimes, you just have to take things into your own hands!

A Bird in My Hair

So here's a funny story... maybe not all that funny, but it's a story.

We were at Walmart purchasing 20 bags of mulch for our yard. Mike was in the store getting some other items while the Walmart employee was inside loading up the bags to bring them out to our vehicle. I had opened a back side door of Mike's SUV to lay the back seats down. I was bent forward and my hair was kind of blowing around my face when I felt fluttering around my face, shoulder and hair. I shrieked (don't judge...you would have, too!) and swiped at it before I realized it was a little bird! I got still, not wanting to hurt it and it hopped across to the door on the other side. It looked like it needed a rest so I took my phone out to get a photo. I should not have done that, I suppose, but I was thinking like a blogger. Sorry, little bird.

I moved to go around to open up that door but he tried flying out a closed window and crashed. He was embarrassed about that so as I opened up ALL the doors, he hopped down and hid under the driver's seat for awhile. By then, the Walmart lady was loading up the back end. I explained what was going on but she just kept loading. Well, she had a job to do.

Finally, I kind of pounded on the seat (again, sorry, little bird) until he decided it was time to escape.

That's it. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

So Many Hairstyles - So Little Time!

I am a bit bipolar when it comes to my hair. I want it long, then I want it short....oops, mistake. I want it long again. I've been doing this since I was about 17 or so. I don't know why. 

Imagine my delight when I heard of Locks of Love! It gave me a mission! Who knew that growing and cutting off hair could serve such a purpose! Also people who may have thought a middle-aged women shouldn't have hair this long surely wouldn't complain if it is for a charitable purpose! Yep. I went from crazy-hair-lady to noble-lady! I'm still bipolar about my  hair, but at least my craziness helps others.

The first time I donated to Locks of Love (2004) I gave 22 inches of hair. It was kind of fun! I went in to my hairdresser's on a Saturday morning. No one else was there when I arrived. However, just before she cut off my ponytail, her husband stopped in with her 4 or 5 year old son. He stood watching as she cut. Really, 22 inches is a lot of hair and when it comes off all at once, I guess it looks rather dramatic. Her son started screaming, "Mama! You broke her hair! You broke it!" He was so distressed; I quickly reassured him that I wanted her to do it but I am not sure he ever believed me. He may have been scarred for life. I hope not.

I kept my hair short for awhile after that. I thought I was too old to grow my hair long again. I was also expecting it to go gray any minute, but it didn't. So, I started growing it out again.

In 2009 I donated again to Locks of Love. At that time I was working as a chemotherapy nurse. Ironic, huh? I was giving other women drugs that made their hair fall out yet I easily grew mine long again. I got the bright idea that I would ask one of the patients if she wanted to cut my hair off before I went to get it styled. I chose a woman who had battled cancer repeatedly for years. She told me she had lost her hair at least three different times. She had a good sense of fun and was delighted to accept my offer. As it turned out, someone at our clinic asked me to have her do it at a cancer survivor party. I agreed. I didn't realize that the local tv stations would be covering the event, as well as our newspaper! What a strange experience.

I wasn't blogging yet then, but my daughter did a post about the event. You can read about it here if you'd like, just keep in mind that my daughter wrote it. She's the president of my fan club! When I look back at those photos I remember a day of fun and joy. We were celebrating life and friendship. The woman who cut my hair, Sharyn, survived a long time after her first diagnosis of cancer. Sadly, the day did come when we had to say good-bye to Sharyn. I will always remember the fun she had that day, though. She really got into it and charmed all who watched her short hairdressing career. I went to my hairdresser later that day. I didn't choose my own style but instead, let my hairdresser do whatever she wanted. 

This time I'm going to change things up a bit. For one thing, I've been researching hairstyles on Pinterest for a month or two. Just when I've decided on one, I see another I like. So many hairstyles; so little time! If you are looking for a new hairstyle, follow Only the Manager on Pinterest and check out my hairstyles board. Don't be surprised if you feel overwhelmed by the choices, though. As I type this, it is a matter of only hours until I go get the deed done and yet I've not decided on my style. 

For another change this time, I'm thinking I will send my ponytail to Wigs for Kids. I don't really care which organization handles it, as long as someone who can't grow their own hair gets a turn at combing and curling and primping and styling.

So, how do you manage your hair? Do you like to try different styles or have you found one that just feels like YOU and so you stick with it?

Good-bye long hair...for now.

Tutorial - Long Curly Hair

I have a lot of hair and it grows quickly. It takes me about three to four years for me to grow out a pixie to the length it is now. I've been called a Chia Pet. I believe I come from a long line of quick hair growers!

Everyone always thinks they want thick hair, so I'm not complaining. However, it takes time if you want to fix it. Long ago, I developed a cheater's way to curl my hair. Recently it occurred to me that maybe some other Chia Pet would like to know my secret. So, this is my first, and likely last, hair tutorial. If you have long hair, this may be of interest to you. If you do not have long hair, my apologies for writing a boring post.

So, here is how I curl my hair when I have to be at work waaaaaaay too early. It is not unusual for me to leave for my work day around 5:00 a.m.  I do not want to get up any earlier than I must so I use a technique I first used when I was in high school.

I bathe and wash my hair the night before. I blow dry it until I feel no more wet strands. Maybe you can curl wet hair at night and it will be dry by morning, but mine would still be quite soggy. So, here is what you need for this version of long, curly hair.

Yep, those are sponge curlers and yes, they still make them.

Bend over at your wait and put a ponytail right on top of your head.

I used 6 medium sized sponge curlers for this look.

It is fun to try out smaller ones, more of them, for smaller spirals.

It looks rather dopey, so just go to bed.

The beauty of this method is, although you are sleeping in curlers,

you are not sleeping ON curlers as they are on the top of your head only.

In the morning, when I take the rollers out, I'm always glad that I 

planned ahead so I can quickly get ready for work.

Honestly, I often don't even bother to brush it as it

comes out looking pretty neat.

If you want it to stay that curly all day, though,

you may want to use some hairspray.

Mine usually loosens up as the day wears on.

Because I am a nurse,  I always must pull it 

back in a ponytail or pretty barrette.

It works and it is easy.

Now you know my secret.

Elise!

Elise is plumping up and changing daily.  She's becoming more and more interactive!

She's too cute! 

She gets my jokes!

She listens intently. 

She has great hair! 

And she puts up with Grandma Sue taking a LOT of photos!

Don't Bug Me!

Do you know what you are looking at in this photo?

It's bugs!  Mostly little flying gnat type bugs!

When we were in Minnesota last week we encountered a few swarms of bugs one night.  We had just returned to our hotel and the first entrance we went to was so covered with bugs we rerouted to the front entrance.  The lights were higher up so the bugs were not quite so in our face but there were so many still!  I'd never seen anything like it so of course I had to run in to get my camera.

I was shooting away, impressing myself with how cool they looked in the photos.

At some point I became aware that they were coming down toward me.  

When I returned inside, Mike was trying to pick them out of my hair!

We mentioned it to the lady at the front desk who didn't seem too concerned, probably 

thinking we were over reacting.  She did, however, go toward the door to look.

I was so creeped out I hurried to our room and showered but as we were leaving the lobby we heard the front desk lady making horrified exclamations about what she saw.

That made me smile.

Is that mean?

I'm not sure you quite have the feel of how horrible 

it really was so let me leave you

with some close up photos.

Cool and yucky all at the same time, huh?

I think I have to go shower again!

Be Brave Enough to Live Creatively

Mike got a great fortune in his fortune cookie recently.  It simply said, "BE BRAVE ENOUGH TO LIVE CREATIVELY".  Isn't that fun advice?!

I never really thought about how much courage it takes to be creative.  Think about it, though.  Start with fashion.  It is easy to just follow the crowd and wear what is popular and trendy.  What if you see something you like but it isn't currently in style?  Do you wear it?  I admit, I usually won't.  That's not to say that I only wear the latest trends but you know what I mean, don't you?  I want to fall somewhere within a category of "normal".

This applies to other things as well.  Have you ever seen any really funky furniture that you thought was cool but just a bit over the top for your home?  How about colors for your home?  What if you wanted to paint your front door grass green (I do)?  What if you thought a purple fence would be fun?

Let's talk about hair.  Way back when I was in junior high school I thought of a really fun haircut.  I've never seen it on anyone.  I'm too chicken to try it myself.  See?  I'm just not brave enough to live quite that creatively!  I even have a name for the haircut style.  I'm calling it the "terrace".  It's simply 5-7 crisply cut layers that go straight around the head like terraced rows, not blended layers.  Think rice paddies, only hair.

It would be quite sleek and not one bit messy.  I'd use a flat iron to make it look even cooler and I'd walk with my head kind of swinging to get a fun movement going.  Do you think it would catch on?  Too bad I don't have that much courage.  If I were a rock star, maybe I'd try it.

What would you do to live more creatively if you had the courage?  Do you think you will try it someday?

My Ridiculously Great Idea

You know how sometimes just as you are dozing off, or maybe in those hazy moments before you are quite awake, you come up with a great idea?  I do that a lot.  The problem is that when I'm fully conscious the "great" idea often seems ridiculous.  This week I had one of those "great" ideas.  Upon full awakening I decided it was indeed ridiculous.  However, I think it is ridiculously great!  I was laughing out loud as I made it!  I've already made a brunette baby hat as well.  Today, I'm thinking I need to make a redhead.  I'm anxious to find a bald baby girl to try these out!  What do you think?