Saturday, April 05, 2014

7 Quick Takes - The Best edition


Hair Envy
I think I'm living with the worst haircut I've had since my college years.  I just can't do anything with it, and in the past three months, I've just given up even styling it, because my best bet is letting my natural wave take over, which makes it look like I tried. Actually trying, yields much worse results!

My stylist is fantastic, which makes me doubly upset about how this turned out. She just cut my layers way too short at the crown of my head, and it's going to take months before my hair will be back to normal. Now, if I pull my hair up in a scrawny ponytail, the hair you can see from the front makes me look like one of The Three Stooges... Moe, I guess.

Actually, it looks more like this... when the length is pulled back.

Looks great on Matthew Macfadyen, not so much on me!

One of my dear friends has always envied my hair, which is thick, healthy lays nicely and is typically easy to manage. She's very upset about my hair, which is actually a comfort! She's said, "How dare anyone do this to TRS's beautiful hair!!"

Prenatal Panic
The same friend who envies my hair, (she acknowledges it, it's amusing to both of us, I'm not being vain here) does so because hers just doesn't grow as she would like it to.
Last week, when we met up with some other girls for dinner, I noticed hers is suddenly quite long, and commented on it. She was so proud that I noticed!

I asked if she was taking prenatal vitamins or something, because the difference was dramatic - and as I asked, I noticed a new girl in the group made a face when I said the word "prenatal".
I'm not even surprised. Our culture is so anti-baby - anti-new life, that the very thought of preparing for pregnancy is somehow mortifying. To suggest that someone would take nutrient-rich vitamins that  happen to be beneficial for reproduction is almost... insulting.

I knew instantly what that expression meant. And I've been disturbed about it for a week.
On a happier note:
My team at work is engaging in a delightful kind of silliness.
It started about a month ago, when complimenting someone's work, I said, "You're the best!" and someone chimed in with... "Around!"... mimicking the song from The Karate Kid.

It has reached ridiculous heights now... someone marks a small achievement or does someone a favor... and we break into song... "You're the best... around! Nothin's ever gonna keep ya down!"

One co-worker has declared no more superlatives. From now on everything is just "good". Bah. We're singing. We've even put other compliments to the same tune.

Sometimes a conversation at work can help you appreciate your single status.

An older co-worker, who has a silly, youthful attitude, tends to stop by my desk to share non-sequiters with me. This week, he shared his enthusiasm for the new insoles he put in his sneakers.

I'm all about insoles... they can really make a difference. But he made me suspicious -and I asked him to show me the bottom of his sneakers. As I suspected, they were tread-bare (if that's a word) - completely worn out!!  I said, Dude, you need new shoes! Those are worn out and insoles can't help replace the support you've exhausted!

It's a routine with us, we just give each other a hard time, smiling the whole time. He muttered about the price of shoes --- and I reminded him that he has a good job, he can afford shoes! Considering how worn they are, he hasn't replaced them in two and a half years!  Then he muttered about having a wife who spends all their money.

I drove home that day appreciating the fact that I can buy workout shoes when I need them, without consulting with anyone else!  Also realizing, that the whole conversation was less about what he could afford, and more about control issues. He'll probably go home and tell his wife that she's the reason he can't have new shoes. Even though he surely has the latest gadget in his entertainment system.

Success!
All of a sudden I can do ten pushups in a row. Real Army-style pushups! Only toes and hands on the ground.
You should have seen my trainer! Where did this come from?!  My max was three and suddenly I did ten!  It was nuts.  Not sure I can do it again, but I did it.

My car has been being naughty lately. Actually the truth is, I was neglecting her. I finally realized she needed power steering fluid, no wonder she was whining.

The other day, I stopped at an auto parts store after work to get some. Walking in such an establishment wearing a knee length skirt, you turn some heads!
A fellow customer actually commented, "You don't see many women coming in here, dressed all professional, buying engine fluids! I'm impressed!"
I couldn't help but think, what do other women do? Is this really impressive? To me, that's like being impressed that a man bought laundry detergent. Don't we all drive cars?
Yes, I popped the hood, and put the fluid in, all while the same guy watched. I think he doubted that I'd get it in the right place. I'm pretty sure I heard his head explode.

I'm thinking maybe I should pick up some prenatal vitamins to force my hair to grow back out quicker... but I hear they're pretty expensive.


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