Friday, April 15, 2011

an inquiring mind wants to know

Approximately eight weeks ago, I went in for a haircut. While I was there, I decided that I wanted to have my hair highlighted, but the stylist suggested that I instead, color it. "COLOR IT?" I thought. While I've been highlighting my hair (sometimes with devastating effects, whenever I do it myself) for the past 25 years (wow that makes me feel old) I've never once "colored" my hair. As in, every single strand.

But the stylist was very convincing so I colored it, approximately the same color as the non-white hair on my head (of which there seem to be fewer and fewer by the day). I was very happy with the results. Until two weeks ago, when I noticed that I've got shoots of white hair popping out, that are as obvious as the bright yellow forsythia against our barren landscape.

So I ponder... do I want to get on the color wagon that will force me in to a salon once every few months in an effort to hide the increasingly dense white hair that is spouting from my scalp, or do I let my silver locks grow out as I gracefully embrace my elder self?

While I ponder that deep question, I'm curious to know how many among us, color their hair, routinely? For the purpose of this inquiry, routinely = more than once a year. Although I know that in the world of hair coloring, routinely is supposed to = 6-8 weeks, I doubt I'd ever have that kind of dedication. I've started a little poll over there << to the right for what I hope will show some honest statistics.

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One of my co-workers is expecting her first baby. Several weeks ago, I sent an e-mail to one of my other co-workers and asked if there were any plans for a baby shower. She responded that no, there were no plans that she knew of, and soon, several other co-workers were on the e-mail distribution, and almost every one weighed in that they had heard, directly from the mother-to-be that she specifically said she did not want a baby shower.

My intuition was telling me that she NEEDS to have a baby shower, but I went along with the masses, because who am I to say that she should have a shower when she is telling people that she doesn't want one? Suffice it to say, the idea of a baby shower was expelled from my mind and we formulated a plan to take the mother-to-be out for a simple lunch, a few days before she goes on leave.

But in the back of my mind, I've got this tickle that my co-worker doesn't have any family in the area and she is an only child, and perhaps she doesn't feel comfortable with someone throwing her a shower? Maybe she has a guilt complex that she is going to put someone out?

(Which made me think of myself when I was pregnant with the triplets. People asked if I wanted a shower and I said NO. Thankfully, Charlie is very familiar with my "female psychosis" and went behind my back to orchestrate the shower with one of our dear friends. If he hadn't done that, and I had missed what is considered to be a right of passage in to motherhood, I'm certain I would have been devastated. Especially with the crazy raging pregnancy hormones, BOO HOO!!! NOBODY LOVES ME!!! Quick. Get me more ice cream!!! And TUMS!!!)

SURE ENOUGH, yesterday the mother-to-be and I are talking and it turns out she is registered and I pick up that although people have offered to throw her a baby shower, she doesn't want anyone to go out of their way for her and my heart falls to my feet. I KNEW IT. What expectant mother doesn't want a baby shower? Seriously?? I totally understand the complexity of not wanting to ASK someone to host a shower for you ... I mean, it seems to me that baby showers should just be a SURPRISE because of course the mother-to-be is going to say NO.

So, I sent out her registration information to the entire list of attendees and told them that we're going to make this lunch as "shower-like" as we can. Since then, I've heard back from several women (none of whom have children, I might add) who have said, "If she wanted a shower, why didn't she just ASK?!"

My second poll, also over there on the right << surrounds the question, what percentage of women really ask, "Yes! Please do throw a big party and spend a lot of money and shower me with gifts and wait on me hand and foot and let the whole day revolve around ME! ME! ME!"?

I'm guessing that the number is low because people feel uncomfortable asking for a party for themselves. Although, perhaps I'm alone with my female psychosis surrounding this topic?

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Does any one else ever feel the desire to stand beneath a blessedly warm hand dryer, when you've got a chill?

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No need to weigh in on this one ... believe me, I already know.

He really is the cutest little thing!