Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Hair

Calling all bloggers.....Calling all bloggers.....

What is your passion? I have a few. Of coarse if you know one single thing about me then you know that my #1 passion is my family. I do, however, have a passion for hair. I just can't help it. I feel like it speaks to me (not literally - I'm not crazy...my doctors told me so). It's the first thing I notice on most people. It started from a very young age, actually I could probably pinpoint it.

I don't remember exactly where we were, but I know exactly what my sister was wearing. She had on this sweater vest (oh yes you did!) that was black with hot pink polka-dots. I think she had on a black shirt under it with her collar pointing straight up. It was obviously the 80's. Anyway, I was already interested in hair, but it was this day that she curled my hair for me and people noticed. They told me how pretty it was and they went on and on about it. I'd always curled and feathered the front of my hair, but she curled the back and it really made me feel like a million bucks. From that day on I wanted to make other people feel like like a million bucks.

I did hair at least part time for 10 years. Most of the time I loved it, but there were some people that no matter what I did they hated it - yet they would request me each and every time. I'll never understand that I guess. I had one client that I swore had a life goal of seeing if she could make me cry. It never happened, but for the life of me I couldn't make her happy. She would come in the salon and she'd ask me to cut it exactly like I did the last time. People - don't ask this of your stylist. There is no way this is possible. A stylist can get close, but there is no way she's going to do it exact every time. She's probably only seen a hundred or more people since your last visit and now you're asking her to cut your hair the very same way. Probably not going to happen.

Anyway, she would come in and ask me to cut her hair the way I did the first time she came to me. Sure! (eye roll) It never failed - I would cut her hair and she'd need a little more off here or a little more off there. I would end up doing 2 hair cuts on her and running behind with my next client. Then I realized that it wasn't me - it was her. This is what I did (and it makes me giggle); it never failed that she wanted just a little more off the back, however, when I took that little bit off it was too short. Finally I started to PRETEND to cut more off the back when she asked. The end result? A happy client. SHE DROVE ME CRAZY! I don't know who does her hair now, but God help them. I hope they've also learned that she can't be pleased.

I had a few odd things happened to me when I first worked as a hair stylist. I'm not sure if all men get a crush on their stylists, but some of my clients had obvious crushes on me. A couple of them asked me out but one guy took the prise. I'd just started dating Justin and I was very happy about it. This guy, Jordan, was referred to me by another client. I'm sure she told him that I was single, but during our conversation I told him that I had started seeing someone. It just so happened that my water bottle was broken so I was using someone else's. The stylist needed it back and I joked about the fact that it was the cheapest thing a stylist uses, but that it was such a necessity - and mine was broken. The next day I got some flowers with a water bottle attached to it. Cute, right? Well Justin didn't think it was all that great. ;) He still doesn't like that story to this day. Jordan came back a few weeks later to get his hair cut and I thanked him for the flowers. He asked me if Justin was mad about the flowers and I told him that he wasn't (because that's what Justin had told me at the time). Jordan asked if it would be ok to send more. I obviously told him no.

Whether I'm watching TV or shopping in the mall, hair is the first thing I see on someone. After 9 1/2 years of hearing hair critiques, Justin just rolls his eyes at me when I point out someones hair. I just can't help it. Hair is just my thing.

9 comments:

Heidi Jo Comes said...

yeah, help me.

not sure what my passion is...besides my family.

over on the everyday woman blog she asked what our dream jobs were...i answered, getting paid to write. i guess writing is pretty cool to me.

Anonymous said...

So, you had to bring up the Pink polka-dot thing, huh? Admit it, I WAS STYLIN', and you were jealous :o)!! LOL :) I love that you do hair, not just 'cuz you don't charge me...much, but because you're so good at it. Thanks for the free-bees :)

Just Mom said...

Thank you. Now I'm going to be extremely self-conscious about my hair every time I see you.

My passion? Other than family and theology (yeah, I know, I'm boring), it's got to be writing.

the boedecker family said...

Do you still cut hair? I always wanted to get into school for that but didn't! I have trouble with Julia's hair...know anything about african american hair??

Tracy said...

Hmmmm...now I know why you were staring at my hair when I first met you! No, just kidding!! That is when I met you...in a hair salon almost 12 years ago!! Even though you didn't think you'd like me at first...hee hee!

A mom said...

Well then I am sure you have noticed that I am in need of a serious haircut. I bet it drives you nuts, doesnt it? May be I will wait another 6 months before I cut it, just to drive you nuts.

Jamie said...

Very interesting post! I am also a hair freak. I LOVE to do hair too! So we have something in common!

Have a great day!!

Anonymous said...

My hair ALWAYS needs help in SOME way; I just wish we lived closer. I'd even be willing to pay!!! :)

Amber said...

Hmmmm...I've thought about this and I can't come up with anything besides my family. There are lots of thinks that I like to do, however I wouldn't concider them my passion.