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May 21, 2006
Ode to My Lost Hair
I've had many haircuts over the years. At times, I've chosen to cut a helluva lot of it off. On Friday, May 19, 2006 I did not plan to lose the vast majority of my hair. I planned to get it shaped in anticipation of my cuz's wedding next weekend. Never before has a hair cut brought me to tears. Saturday morning, I was crying.
So what went so horribly wrong? I went to Salon Diva with an image in my head of what I wanted: a bob, could be shorter in the back, tapering towards the front. I looked through a book of short haircuts. Fell in love with a variation on a cut I've had in the past: short in the back, long in the front. Instead of saying "this is what I want" I tried to explain to the hair dresser that I wanted to be able to part my hair in the middle. So she showed me a second photo. I thought she was showing it to show the edge of the hair: how it was a diagonal slant. So I enthusiastically said, yes exactly. She asked me if I was ready for short haircut. I said, oh I've had my hair much shorter before.
So that was my first fatal mistake. I should've made sure at that point we were still talking about the same frickin haircut. Because, you see, her idea was to cut all of my hair REALLY SHORT, like in the pic she showed me. My idea was to look more hetero than butch, like the pic I showed her.
So she started cutting. And mind you, I have to take my glasses off to get my hair cut, rendering me blind. She had me put my glasses on to see half my head. I gasped. It was clearly several inches shorter than I wanted: instead of my hair covering my entire ear, it was ABOVE IT! I kept repeating how fast my hair grows, how it'll be okay because my hair grows fast.
She really, really didn't get it. When she was through butchering my head, she kept repeating that she was willing to cut more off. That if I changed my mind, she'd be willing to do a trim, no problem. TRIM?!?! There's not enough hair left to warrant a trim! To add insult to injury, there's no diagonal line of hair. There is simply an extremely unflattering straight line across the top of my ears. I couldn't be more horrified.
And yes, my small head is perfectly shaped for short hair cuts, so even with this woman butchering my hair, I am still able to make it look decent. But instead of having flowing, wavy hair this summer I have to constantly work against my butch haircut in my pursuit of male companionship. I have a copy of Frida Kahlo's self portrait, where she cut off all her hair and looks like a man in a suit on a chair. Never thought that would happen to me against my will. I really wish I could fast forward my hair growth five months. I can't believe how long it's going to take me to undo her horrific handiwork. And don't get me started on how bad I'm going to look in my cousin's wedding pictures. I guess it's a good thing we're second cousins: probably means less photos to commemorate this horrifying experience.
Posted by cj at 07:05 PM | Comments (0)
The Never-Ending Crush of Crap
Sigh. I've been trying to clean my flat for weeks, in anticipation of it's big week. Next week is a big week for my stoic, little abode. It will welcome two different visitors (thankfully, at two different times). Alas, it currently has my trademark features: Stuff, Stuff, and More Stuff. I've been cleaning for an hour, even though I was planning on cleaning all day. What have I been doing instead? Oh, my usual Sunday routine of newspaper reading, talk-show watching, large breakfast eating, email replying ways. It looks gorgeous outside. Not that I'm going out there. I have too much detritus to clean up. Besides, I'm enjoying my newest purchase: a Rhapsody subscription! Technically, I'm in my 14 day trial period. It's really nice to be able to listen to all those cd's I've been yearning for this past year (that I got to know in other people's collections and for some ridiculous reason never got into my own collection). Sign that I'm getting old: I couldn't get into the new Pearl Jam or Jewel cd's, but I'm thoroughly enjoying Nashville Skyline by Dylan. Oh well.
Posted by cj at 05:54 PM | Comments (0)
May 18, 2006
the passage of time...
I'm watching the end of Will & Grace. I never watched it religiously; I vaguely remember it starting while I was in college and scoffing at it - it seemed to be a show full of gay stereotypes. Turns out, it is that, but it's also highly amusing.
So watching the "Say Goodnight, Gracie" flashback show started me thinking about the passage of time. And how much faster it passes as you get older. Seriously, this last year really just slipped by me. And every time I try to get it to slow down, I don't like the results.
Still, things are happening. The Da Vinci Code is almost in theaters. I remember when I first heard about the casting of that film and made plans to see it...
This series finale is weird. Although, really, there's nothing bad about watching Harry Connick, Jr. Nothing at all.
Have you ever waited for an email you knew was coming and felt like time started passing more slowly just to torment you while you waited for the email? Yeah, that's what I'm doing right now.
Posted by cj at 07:58 PM | Comments (0)
May 17, 2006
Dropped Calls, Wrong Numbers, and the Annoyance of Land Lines
My mobile gets terrible reception in my house. Which is why I was sorta happy to get a land line. But here's something they don't tell you when they sign you up for a number: someone had that number before you and people will continue to call looking for that person long after you take possession of the number. So Paul with terrible credit, wherever you are, get your life in order, man! And I really wish the telemarketers would stop calling for you at my number.
On the positive side, a long lost friend got in touch with me via my land line. Although it's a little creepy to be in a directory now. Just so different - I've never been listed as such before....but I guess it's a good thing. And maybe in the near future registering my land line on donotcall.gov will actually stop the telemarketers from calling Paul. That would be nice.
Posted by cj at 09:35 PM | Comments (0)
May 16, 2006
Paradise Now
I watched the film between my cousin's ufruf and her engagement party. This is significant only because my cousin is more traditionally Jewish than I am and the difference between going to a Shabbat service where a temple-goer's car actually had a W '04 sticker on it, where prays are said for the well-being of Israel and the stark honesty of Paradise Now impacted me more than just seeing the movie without context would.
Paradise Now is truly suspenseful. Nothing happens the way you expect it to and the change between the protagonists looking "normal" and when they have haircuts and shaves to look like Israeli settlers is unsettling. More importantly, their dialogue is real and realistic. I wonder what would happen if US lawmakers actually watched this film and listened to Palestinians discuss the daily humiliation and hardship cause by the Israeli occupation. Would they be able to hear? Or would they chalk it up to propaganda b.c they've already been bought and sold by AIPAC.
And yet, I agree with Ebert that it deserved 3 out of 4 stars. Unlike Ebert, I'm not waiting for a movie about a secular suicide bomber. It would be interesting to see the point of view of someone who is not economically oppressed choosing to become a terrorist. But more importantly,
I can't place my finger on what is missing from the film. It is powerful and important. It is a better movie than March of the Penguins. But right now I'm falling asleep (which seems to be a trend for my blogging time), and will have to continue to mull over what I needed from Paradise Now to bump it up to a 4 star rating.
More info:
Ebert's review
Rotten Tomatoes entry
Posted by cj at 10:55 PM | Comments (0)
May 15, 2006
One Night with You Was Better Than Never
Will you just stop saying you're sorry because you didn't know any better? But I did. And, I'm sorry. [pause] I'm sorry, Meredith.
Grey's Anatomy is truly cotton candy for the brain.
And Prison Break is cotton candy for the adrenaline system and eyes. (Cause you know, those boys are easy on the eyes.)
I think these season finales say (a)I have no more excuses for not cleaning my house; (b)I should be able to actually use my Netflix subscription now; and (c)I now need real people to hang out with after work. :)
Posted by cj at 08:46 PM | Comments (0)
May 09, 2006
Chopin: Music for Broken Souls
Marian Marzynski is the Polish grandfather you never had. He's also the filmmaker behind some intriguing PBS docs. They suck you in like reality teevee, but instead of making you feel like you've lost a few IQ points and hours of your life, they make you feel like you've gained insight into something you never knew was missing from your world.
He went to the 15th Frederic Chopin International Piano Competition in Warsaw for Frontline. 800 contestants, 1 winner.
Chopin lived most of his adult life as a refugee in France after the Russians took over his country. Critics say his music is infused with the yearnings of a broken soul; a voice yearning for the disrupted past. I believe everyone can relate to this desire. More importantly, to hear his music played passionately is to feel the presence of God.
More info: "Poland: Chopin's Heart, A nation's musical gift to the world" on Frontline / World.
Posted by cj at 10:34 PM | Comments (0)