Sassy Hair (T-Minus 494 Days)

I received somewhat mixed reactions to my initial blog post. I received a couple “you go girls,” but I also heard my fair share of “I didn’t realize you were so unhappys,” and I want to make sure I make one thing very clear as I move forward: I am not unhappy.

I am, quite simply, not happy.

I don’t think you can truly understand the difference between the two sentiments until you have experienced the epitome of one or the other. For me, it was the downward face … but that was years ago and this isn’t a place to rehash tales of teen-age and early 20s misery and angst.

Because this is the place to, not just find the upward face, but find the face that stays up.

And, with the help of Alex P. Keaton, I realized tonight two of the most important people that any grooveless 20-something needs to have in her (or his) life to help make that happen:

1)      a hair stylist you wholeheartedly and single-mindedly trust

2)      the purely-platonic male friend/drinking partner/reality check

I must say I am fortunate enough to have both in my life.

For the last year-plus, Miriam has been one of the most significant relationships in my life. She inherited a head of ashy brown and graying hair and has turned into one of my favorite features. At times red and at others brown, my hair is Miriam’s vision at the best version of me, as so overly dramatic as that sounds.

Instead of being asked what I came in for, as is the case with most stylist-client relationships, I sit down in the swivel chair and ask her what she has in mind for me. Without fail, she always has a plan and, at least to date, it always works out. It never fails that I leave there without feeling infinitely better about myself than when I went in.

There are few things more depressing, however, than getting a new sassy ‘do and realizing you have absolutely nowhere to show it off. So a couple rounds at Phia ago, I texted a friend and asked he would meet me for a beer after my hair appointment so I wouldn’t have to take my newly-shiny and straight locks home without an outside look.

He obliged and has since been asked for repeat performances, pretty much cementing his status among preferred drinking buddies (it’s a highly-selective group) and proving there are few things more valuable than the unbiased male opinion.

The topics discussed with both are fodder for another night when morning is several more hours away, but suffice to say opinions were taken into consideration and I will head into tomorrow a better person because of them both.

A person who is one step closer to finding her groove. Or at least to always having sassy hair while looking for it.