Sunday, November 29, 2009

A Semi-Happy ENDing

So, Tyson's friend Raylene is a professional hair stylist, and he asked her to help me out.Wednesday night I went to see her and she managed to turn my sad mess into a nice hairstyle. :)


(I'm just wishing my mom a happy Thanksgiving in this picture. :P )


I think it's even cuter straightened. :)

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

The Bitter End of My Ends

My hair has been getting really long. When I look in the mirror, I've gone from thinking "Meh," to thinking, "Nice!" when I look at my hair. It's been transitioning from being just long hair to being looong hair. I've been feeling beautiful and sexy for a change. I've also been really excited to show my parents its length when they arrive for Christmas.

At 10 on Saturday I had an appointment at Dallas Roberts Academy to get my hair trimmed. I told the girl that I just wanted my ends and the hair framing my face cleaned up for the holidays. She responded by saying I would need layers in the back to make it look right. Surprised, I agred that some light layers would be fine. As she prepared her first cut, she combed up a big section of hair right in the center of my head, like a mohawk. I clarified that I just wanted the front 5% trimmed. She assured me that the layers would be long, then proceeded to cut away HALF the length of the hair she was holding. I was mortified. I wanted to run away, but I figured the damage was already done. I felt sick. She proceeded for the next hour to savagely hack away at my patiently grown hair while I tried not to vomit or cry.

When she finally finished, her instructor came to inspect it. She, in her turn, grabbed chunks of my hair, and demonstrated an "effective technique" for cutting curly hair by partially opening her scissors and running it through my hair. I was all I could do to not scream at her to stop butchering my hair.

I stumbled out the door, and ran to my car as the tears began streaming out. I cried all the way home, then awoke poor Tyson by sobbing uncontrollably in his arms.

He was so sweet and comforting. So was Calleen. Tyson also called the academy and spoke with girl and described to her the fallout of her imprudent actions.

My long, thick ends are gone. I've lost probably four inches of hair (when even she agreed she was only going to cut off one), and my ends are thinned and shredded. All my hair on my right side is longer than on my left, and the hair on the top of my head is just chopped off short.

I used to just pull half my hair back in a barrette, but no more. It's not long enough unless I pull it tight against my head. I also used to pull it into a ponytail when I worked out, and then pull it halfway through again into a loop, and still have a significant amount hanging out. Now I don't even have enough hair for the same size loop, let alone any extra. I've worn my hair stuffed up into a hat the past two days at work, in mourning and protestation.

Here are some pictures. Keep in mind that my curls soften a lot of ugliness.

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Aliens Not Allowed

First, I have to say that the weather this week has been divine! It's been sunny and in the 60s every day! I am loving it!

The highlights for me this week were receiving a Priesthood blessing of comfort from Tyson, giving my friend Crystal a massage, and actually being able to get in a full workout every day except Wednesday. :) The blessing helped a lot. I was getting quite depressed, and it was reassuring to know that we have a purpose to fulfill here, and that our circumstances will change once that purpose is fulfilled.

Also, last night we hung out with Chris and Raylene and went to see the movie "The Box," which is based off of the short story "Button, Button." (It was also made into a Twilight Zone episode in the '80s.) I have to give the movie a great big "Bleh!" As soon as alien-controlled-zombie-people are explaining my choices between "eternal salvation" and "eternal damnation," you've lost my interest. The movie "Knowing" makes the same kind of mistake. God is love. He is not a bunch of detached aliens playing puppeteers with our lives. Period.

Not wanting to end so negatively ( :D ), I'd like to say that we watched "The Brother's Bloom" a while back, and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. One of the better movies I've seen in some time. Quite quirky, but very sweet.

Not Quite Domestic Homicide

Tuesday evening was kind of tough for me. Thankfully, I have a wonderful husband. He was so sweet and loving - and he made me laugh, too. That night I drifted blissfully off to sleep with a smile on my face, grateful to be blessed to be married to such an amazing man.

. . . Then, at least an hour before my alarm went off, he started tossing and turning in his sleep. He'd toss, then turn, then squirm, then flop, then repeat. I was so exhausted, all I could do was almost drift off to sleep before our bed would bounce again, jolting me slightly awake. By the time my alarm finally went off, I wanted to grab my pillow and whack the daylights out of my husband!

Thankfully, the frustration over what he did in his sleep has vanished much more quickly than the gratitude for who is he when he's awake. ;)

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Happy Halloween!

Tuesday Tyson met me when I finished work and we drove up to Thanksgiving Point to go through Cornbelly's cornmaze, but because of the snow earlier that day, they were closed. The next day he called a couple of times to make sure that they'd be open, and we went again.

The maze itself was kind of sad. It had taken a beating for the past several weeks, and it was still kind of muddy. We got a thick layer of mud and corn husks tuck to the bottom of our shoes! :P However, we still had fun. :) We went through the hay snake with all the little kids, went down the slides, admired the carved pumpkins display, warmed ourselves by the fire pit, and ended up buying a large pumpkin for $1 on our way out. :)


Afterward, we swung by Zupas, and I got their Jamaican Pumpkin Coconut soup - which was divine! - and their berry salad, and a "million dollar bar." Tyson got the Wisconsin Cauliflower soup and the California Turkey sandwich. Then we hurried over to UVU for Institute. :)

Friday at work we had our Halloween party. Lots of us dressed up - my team lead Alisha was a ninja turtle, our boss Dave was an obnoxious Utah Jazz fan complete with a 'stash, and one of the executives wore pink pajamas, a pig nose, and a hospital mask to be the "swine flu." Tyson came to the lunch festivities at noon - making me the happiest person there! :D There was a chili cook-off, and pumpkin pie and chocolate cake. :) Then the children that had come went from cubicle to cubicle rick-or-treating. :)

That evening, we had delicious soup that Calleen had made with honey cornbread that Tyson had made. Then we carved pumpkins while watching the Jazz game. I asked Tyson what would be a "Springer" jack-o-lantern, and her said a butterfly. So I looked up images online, and used one as an inspiration. It was fun to flex my artistic muscles again a little. :)



Calleen and I also picked out and baked pumpkin seeds. This was one of my favorite Halloween treats growing up, and I was so tickled to finally have a chance to eat them again. :) (Yay to not having mid-terms!)

Saturday evening we went to Chris's apartment for a Halloween party. Chris, and his brothers Andrew and Zach, with help and encouragement from Raylene, dressed up as the three Jonas brothers. I have no idea who the Jonas brothers are, but they looked sharp - and Andrew's wig made me giggle. :D We all munched and talked, and then played Apples to Apples, Last Word, and Catch Phrase. It was all really fun. :)