And One More Awkward, Horrifying, Situation...

My new year's resolution of blogging more regularly has not gotten off to a very good start. So my Valentine's resolution will be to blog more. I may need a St. Patrick's day resolution as well...and an Easter...maybe Memorial Day...I'll keep trying. (I really do enjoy this!)

But since I'm here I'll tell you about my latest unpleasant/annoying life situation that really isn't that big of a deal but just another example of why I find life to be a series of awkward and uncomfortable scenarios being played out. It involves my hair. Again.

For nine years I faithfully went to Jason Davidson for all my hair styling needs. Before him I just sort of bounced around from stylist to stylist, never ready to commit to any, never finding that je ne sais quoi. So I'd go to someone a few times and then avoid that salon like the plague so I wouldn't have to see their face when the betrayal they felt registered on it as they realized I was getting my hair styled by someone else. I don't know if this is how it feels to them but it's how I imagine it must feel. But then I found Jason, or rather my sister-in-law did, recommended him to me, and the rest is history. So several years ago when he moved to Toledo I thought it would be all over. But he continued to come back to Warsaw every weekend to cut hair. And then a few years ago when he told me he had enrolled in college to become an accountant, I knew our glorious days together were numbered. But I was figuring I had until May of this year. So I was shocked and horrified and not at all emotionally prepared, when he told me casually in November that "this would be our last appointment together." We did a little stroll down memory lane and quickly did the math and I couldn't believe it when he said that he had been styling my hair for NINE YEARS!!! That is longer than many marriages. It's more than twice as long as I was in high school and that just makes me feel old. (I don't know why. I guess it seems unrealistic that I could have been out of high school long enough for that length of a hair-cutting relationship.) So, I bid him a fare-well and left, feeling a bit dazed and a whole lot of being in denial.

I had eight weeks before I needed to embark on the journey that I so dreaded: the journey to find a new stylist.

And it's not that I'm really that worried about my hair although I fully admit to being a bit vain about my hair. (Look, I'll never be a leggy, slender, beauty. But I can have a good hair cut dang it!) My hair will grow out from a bad cut. It's that whole rotten process that goes along with it. Meeting a new stylist, judging their abilities and my haircut, deciding if they pass muster, and then trying to avoid them if they don't. And I hate having to make small talk for 45 minutes to an hour. Oh, how I hate that. I don't know if they expect me to keep the chatter going or if they prefer I shut up. Do they really care about what I'm making for dinner? Do I really care about what shows they enjoy watching? I feel like I never really received the full instructions for this song and dance and I just don't know all the rules. Jason and I had enough history that it was pleasant and I think he knew I was comfortable with long periods of silence. But yet we seemed to click conversationally. Oh Jason, why did you have to leave me?

So my hair got pretty shaggy and my bangs were unbearable. I have to say that I love rocking the bang look. Okay, now I'm going to digress terribly.

When I decided to go with my new style, specifically bringing back the bangs I never imagined the reaction I would receive. I have never received so much immediate and strong reaction to any haircut I've ever gotten. And I've gotten A LOT of styles over the years. Some of the reactions:

• You look like a geisha/You look like a China girl (that one's totally not PC but I heard it)
• You look like Amelie (a crazy French movie)
• You dyed your hair didn't you? (Uh, no)
• You look like a flapper girl from the 1920's
• Wow I love it, it looks so retro!
• Etc...

But my favorite reaction by far was Brian's. We both got home in the early afternoon. He said nothing but shot me questioning glances all day. Approximately eight hours later he casually asked, "Did you do something different with your hair?" Priceless.
Back to the present moment. My hair was shaggy bad. I had not had the heart to call any place and make an appointment. I got desperate and walked in to a salon that I was planning to call anyway to see if they would take a walk-in. And the salon is beautiful! And I told the lady at the desk that my hair-stylist of nine years had abandoned me and I was frightened. Yeah. I said it. I wanted them to know that I was serious about my hair and my stylists and that I was interviewing them and they could have a loyal customer if things went well. Jessica would be cutting my hair and I looked in the book of stylists while I waited and discovered she was a junior stylist - i.e. inexperienced. So Jessica cut my hair and she was lovely and nice. Although she tried to push product (which I had forgotten that salons did because Jason just didn't do that). And my haircut was actually quite nice. But a.) Jessica has only been cutting hair nine months, b.) I don't know if we have that much in common, and c.) after barely cutting off a whisper of bangs and asking me if she had cut off enough and me going, "uh, no," she declared that she had never cut anyone's bangs that short before. WHAAAA!?!?!? My bangs aren't crazy short. I'm not asking anyone to take my bangs up to my hairline. What do you mean that these are the shortest bangs you've ever cut? And then she refused to cut them in a blunt line the way Jason did. She tapered them and then tried to give me a reason why she thought this was best and I was all "whatever, they're fine." But, she had been aware that I had been with a stylist for nine year (the lady at the front desk evidently took me seriously) so I assured her at the end that she had done a great job. And she had. I wasn't lying. For my first experience post-Jason I walked away happy. But I still wanted to explore more options.
Then she walked me to the front desk and there it was. The question I had feared. She asked, "so do you want to go ahead and schedule your next appointment?" Now she did a great job and all but I'm not ready to COMMIT just yet. But I'm also a big wimp. So I said, "sure." (My plan was to schedule and then call later and cancel.) But here's the kicker. She told me then that she was glad to meet me, AND SHE HUGGED ME. She hugged me and now it's like we're gosh-darn family. She felt like she had succeeded. And it's not that she didn't. I just need to play the field a little before I settle down. But she hugged me and I don't know what to do. Because I really loved the salon but how do I go in there and "interview" other stylists with the huggy-feely lady looking at me? It will feel like killing a puppy.
A decision will have to be made. Soon. And I don't feel equipped to handle it. And that is my current annoying life situation. Aren't you glad I blogged again?