Well I just couldn't stand it anymore last night and colored my hair black again. It was a weird combination of black ends, red in the middle, and my own yucky brown (and gray) on top. I did use a bit of restraint, though, and used a semi-permanent color for a change. It was also so long it was starting to do the curling up thing all over, since it's layered, and I also broke down and made an appointment to get it cut. I went in today and got it done, though I think both the stylist and I got carried away and cut it actually TOO short.

I had brought in a photo from the last cut, which was damn near perfect IMHO, and he tried to work from that but for some reason he just couldn't seem to get it. I'd been good and left my bangs alone, so I thought he should be able to just go in and trim the layers and voila - but apparently not. My husband freaked out when I got home, he said I looked like David Cassidy (I could do worse, he had gorgeous hair), and now he's afraid I'm going to want to keep it short short from now on. No way with the winter coming, my neck and ears get way too cold. But it is really fabulous to be able to wash & dry it so quickly without having to detangle the whole mess. And it's so damn hot here in the summer, I never wear it down when the temperature is over 80 degrees (i.e. March through October).

The last cut grew out so nicely I figured I'd get it done again before fall, my hair is thin but it grows really fast, so by Halloween I should be back to shoulder length at least. The last haircut had a bit more swing and body to it, I'm afraid this one really is a little too severe. But Sparky doesn't understand what it's like to go through your entire life with long, tangly, wavy hair that the best you can do with it is keep it pulled back. At least with the shorter hair I can walk outside for five minutes without my hair going berserk in the least little wind [sigh].

But I'm much happier with the color, I haven't used semi-perm in ages, I might start again because it's so much easier and quicker than permanent color (and it doesn't reek). Plus if I can get the exact color I want for $5 or $6 I'd rather keep doing that than plunk down $55 for something I'm not happy with. The damn haircut is $45 plus tip by itself. And when I got home today I checked the account I charged it on and they had charged me $54 even though the receipt had $45 on it. I'm guessing he gave himself a 20% tip. The "rules" say you should tip about 15%, but I handed him $5 in cash which seemed adequate for 45 minutes of his time since all he did was trim, I didn't even need a shampoo. And he waited on several other people while I sat there with wet hair twiddling my thumbs. I had meant to stop at an ATM on the way so I could pay the whole thing in cash, but I got caught in the school zone traffic jams. But I've called the salon and left a message and we'll see if the $9 pops back up on my account tomorrow. If it doesn't, I'm going to call the owner, I've spoken with her several times and she seems pretty down to earth.

(Pictures to come, I may wait till I shampoo it again first, it's very flat now and a little too boyish even for me)