Forgettin Finals

Finals- The final time to show the teacher that you may have actually paid attention the entire semster, I was inspired to write earlier today, and then my dryer broke, my exam didnt save online, I broke a nail, stubbed my toe and feel like I might go insane if I dont find out my final grades soon. SO my inspiration has dwindled down to a mere paragraph. My fortune cookie today read: "You will recieve important news from a child"C'mon child- give me some good news.

Daymaking

"Be the change you wish to see in the world."

Ghandi.

I loved my last job, absolutely loved it, I was good at it. It made me happy. Not many people can say that before they turn 21. I was a hairstylist. Do not stereotype me. The typical stereotype of a "hairdresser" makes me gag, ugh. What I did, as my career was took art and made shapes, bonded with people and I was a professional. I saw hundreds of new people all the time, each of those people putting their trust into my hands.

Trust? One might think the art of hairstyling seems a little silly, its just hair. Ha- I would like to meet that person who believes its just hair, and shave their head, or see the women that feels so much better after just one fantastic blow dry and pampered. The salon I worked at clients were guests. I came to truly appreciate the wording and comfort that the word guest gave. A sense of self indulgence and appreciation. One bonus with my career was the fact that no one person is the same. Seeing each guest just for a 45 minute hair cut created a bond, that I cannot even explain in words. Each person, no matter how normal, bland, outrageous, or strange they were appealed to me, because I was contributing something to them that they did not have already.

Ann Arbor, voted the most liberal town in the state of Michigan definitely served me up with the widest variety of personalities. I would go home at night smiling, sometimes baffled by the new things I have learned, there are a few stories that shine the brightest in my memory, personalities that cannot go without being recognized.

Lets start somewhere in the middle-

• Frank: well, where to start with Frank. He was an older man, he drove up with his wife every weekend or so, to enjoy Ann Arbor- I ended up getting Frank's appointment by fluke I randomly had a cancellation and the time slot was just long enough to fit in a beard trim. Beard trims- not so much of a popular service item at an upper end salon. Yet I sucked it up and figured this would be a breeze. Well, was I wrong. Asking me if I knew what 4/16th's of an inch was and requesting I cut that off of his beard was surprising to me- I never quite expected such an odd request. I began to sweat, knowing this was not going to be quite the stroll in the park beard bash. I did my best, it turned out as well as any beard trim would, he remained cold with me and left. A week later I see Frank on my books again and this continues sometimes bi-weekly sometimes at random, however always on a Saturday and always on a very busy day. His wife, who would stand outside the window and watch as I trimmed his beard, one day was waiting for me when Frank's name was the one listed for the appointment. I approached her and she said she needed a haircut- the appointment was actually for her. The entire haircut she praised my talent, saying I was gloriously talented- by the way: all she asked me to do was trim an 1/8 of an inch off, and cut her hair around her headband which she kept in. One of the final times I saw Frank he and his wife extended an invitation. An invitation to join their interpretive dance team. ----enough said.
• Squirrely Gyno: perhaps this title speaks for itself. The first subject we began to talk about-pets. He had a sugar glider. With many pictures on his phone to show and some research on my part later on- sugar glider=flying squirrel. Sugar gliders are very interactive, the animal can become depressed if left alone and unsocialized, so while i was cutting his hair he went on to tell me that he carried a leather pouch around his neck, where his sugar glider lived. He would go to bars, parties, shopping with little sugar glider safe around his neck, when a sugar glider wants attention it will bark- he compared it to the sound of a small dog. Containing myself I changed subjects- what is your occupation we began: his response, "a gynocologist." random thoughts, does he take the sugar glider to work? A gyno with a partner squirrel? awkward pap smear....
• Sivana: Now Sivana is someone, who made my day- The first day we met I was having an awful day- a licey child, anxiety attacks and tears were pre-sivana, she did not have my full attention and she needed it. She was a middle aged woman, very tall, glasses, wirey frame. I remember approaching her and being intimidated because I did not know what to expect. Into conversation she began to cry- had been asking her about pets. Her companon cat just died after a struggle with cancer. There I felt heartless, I just made a woman cry about her cancerous cat, another tic on my bad-day-o-meter. Conversation went on and I told her about my dog's health problems, this was when I realized what kind of person she was. The next appointment she made for me she met me with a smile- we were both in better spirits, she pulled out a giant packet of vet clinics, Q &As and a card for me. She was here for an appointment to get her hair washed and styled for a funeral. Every one in her family and her significant other's family was dying, I truly felt for this woman- after I quit Sivana was one of my guests who I truly felt sorry for not saying goodbye to- I never got a chance to see her before my last day- She took a little getting used to, working around the rough edges and all, but this day I really do hope that things are looking up for her-

There are sooooo many people I met that made some sort of impact on me- either gave me a good smile, some gave me a good cry( 2children with lice), some made me really think about what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I loved working there- my best friends I met there, we wore leather pants and got matching tattoos, we made a quote book of stupid things we said in the act of working, we sent out mass inner-salon intercoms, it was good times, good people, amazing memories.

Fuzzy Friends

What makes the crazy cat lady; psychologically crazy? Is this because she speaks to the cats? She lives with the cats? She obviously loves these cats if she is spending so much time with them- perhaps they would hand me the position of crazy dog lady?

Doesnt have quite the same ring to it, hmm? Not really, yet I would vote myself in- Dyno and Molson. -I dont give my dogs middle names, I find them useless, due to the fact that I only use my dogs names when I am screeching at them to, " DYN----- STO----PUT TH----DOWWWNNN!" No time for Dyno Joseph or Dyno Michael, just a point of confusion to the dog. Dyno already has issues with sharing a room with his yellow brother.

I had a teacher that was completley against the idea of dogs hosting thoughts, an intellectual. I would like that teacher to dog sit for me. Perhaps after Dyno chewing on something off limits, seeing me coming- drops it in molsons paws and runs for cover, while molson understands only too late that he was FRAMED! damn. Curious what his reaction would be when Molson clamps onto Dyno's collar and drags him around as if it was a game of "pull the brother around till he pays attention to me." If this sounds entertaining to you; the reader. Imagine what it is for me. I live this. I wake up in the night scared all my ribs are broken, only to realize my 90 lb, 9 month old puppy is trying his "best" to cuddle.

Theses little dudes are my best friends- They shed like beasts, they eat anything I have ever spent money on (psychology book, kitchen, *yes the ENTIRE kitchen*, Wii) Sure my dogs love to eat money, eat it and tear it apart, yet there is not a price in the world I could put on them.

Steve bought Dyno for me about a year and 1/2 ago because I was begging for a puppy to keep me company when I lived alone- he was exactly what I wanted- and exactly what I did not know I was in for. See, we call Dyno a special dog. ~~Did you see Marley and me? Marley has nothing on Dyno.~~Dyno is too smart for his own good. Dyno could possibly be a mind reader- it is sometimes scary. :) I could go on for days about our excursions with dyno- yet some of those expieriences I have been trying to repress far, far back in my memory. About a year later after dyno had.....mildly calmed down I began to get puppy fever... It is not a proven medical disease but I am convinced. So I made a call on an ad for yellow labs. Steve and I went to take a look at their last puppy available....SOLD.

SO now we have our family. Steve, Alyssa, Dyno the trouble making destructor, and Molson the Moose, the chubbiest floppy puppy ever.

If you wouldnt get a haircut from a fox, why would you color your hair from a box?

Okay-
time to get down and dirty.
Box hair color is a lie- do not trust it: It is not your friend. "multi-faceted highlights?" what are those? We are not shopping for blinds or a cute multi-purpose cabinet; Feria- get real. Perhaps "box buyers" have never been informed: No lucious hair color EVER comes from a $5.00 cardboard box. Leave it to the professionals, so many times i have seen "dark chocolate- look i'm on clearence for $3.00 haircolor!"- look frighteningly like oscar the grouch...on drugs. While going to the salon can be costly and somewhat time consuming- if you think about it- how can a chemical that comes from a cardboard box on CLEARANCE be healthy, or successful. I think a can of SPAM is more expensive. Commerials are liars- Beyonce, Eva Longoria, slappin on that color in their bathroom?Nope, sorry kids hate to break it to ya- good ol' boxie is lying again.
False advertisment lives inside that box of shimmering blonde moonlight gold that you can buy- its dangerous stuff! Please brunettes dont try to go blonde with a box and blondes dont go black just because its what was on sale at the store.
Check out alternatives: salons, sally's, industry source, etc.

Ban the Box, put the kabosh on box hair colors, your strands will be happy you did.

-love your stylist

Insomnia Blues

Finals are coming up! Oh man! Studied from 11am till 9pm on sunday night. *Meeting with teach in the morning* who knew that BAM its 3 am and I can't sleep. So I begin to create things to make time go faster....

• Listen to dogs snore....check!


• Listen to boyfriend snore...and grind teeth.... check!


• Text random people and hope they are awake to answer my plea for human interaction......check!

Okay so my tiny laptop and i are now fighting... tiny laptop why do you shut off on me randomly? Perhaps it is the fact that it is 3am, and even tiny laptop is tired. I do believe this is the beginning of a very comforting relationship, I cant sleep so I will confide in tiny laptop to stay awake with me. Well enough with the personal introduction mumbo-jumbo, lets begin in such a cliche spot: the beginning.

I live in the middle of no where. This is the middle of somewhere if you ski, snowmobile, live in an igloo, yet i partake in non of the listed activities. This "city" is Houghton, MI. Beautiful, very scenic, clean air if you can imagine- yet they don't quite sell manolo's at the local walmart. yep.... can you believe it? astonishing- i know. Being someone who grew up afraid of ever entering a walmart in fear of being mugged or seen- I now go there daily for lack of entertaining things to do- that and i am a lousy shopper. Now dont get me wrong- i love this place, it is gorgeous and such a great feeling to not have to do the long distance romance- that is a toughie. I miss home, I miss things about home, but it is really somethin else up here- I have definitely found a different side of myself that was hidden behind all of the city lights and traffic stops. I couldnt be happier about my decision to move here and go back to school and meet new people. I am currently in the education program-

So, all of this chit chat about snow and such I havn't quite hit the highspots, I live with my boyfriend, and my dogs, molson and dyno. Dyno is my baby that I wish wanted to cuddle with me and molson is my 90 pound teddy bear that crushes ribs when he sleeps with you. Well, I moved up here after working in possibly the best place I have every worked...lets start again, i worked doing something that I loved to do, and made some of my best friends ever, working in the beauty industry was my first love- Continuing on..... I now currently watch my days fly by taking 17 credits, working 15 hrs a week, being a local women's sorority {Phi Delta Chi } (which by the way: best decision) These girls are awesome, I am very excited for this summer and next semester to see what fun comes next with them.

I barely have enough time to catch up with whos sleeping with who on my favorite reality shows. Humph Bah Humbug. Yet who am I to be complaining summer vaca is 4 days away, dang can i be a pessimist at 3am

Yet all is not negative I have found blogging- While being 9 hours away from so many people i miss and love, I thought this an appropriate connector- as much as my family loves me- the kindness wears off after a 20 minute phone conversation. :)

So as the insomia blues continue to eat away at my solitude- I cannot always promise stories of super yooper tales, or my take on the world today- but I will be here recording my thoughts and sharing them with you-