The only way I can afford professional hair coloring is by going to the Aveda school in my city. Where else can you get highlights for $45? Nowhere, that's where. And even though the students work on you, and sometimes they accidentally whack you in the forehead with their hair dryers, the instructors will never let you leave if you're unhappy or in tears (from non-hair dryer related activity).
I was in the chair last Friday. It took me months to make an appointment that I could stick to and by that point, my roots were looking "arty" to more than one person. The student hair dresser and I were making small talk and then she asked where I liked to party. I can't even remember the last time I used party as verb. I remembered when I was younger—her age and not yet enveloped in responsibilities and my career—and the importance of the verb party. And all of a sudden I was embarrassed at my lack of use of the verb.
"Um, I don't really party anymore," I bit my lip.
She put her round brush down. "But you said you live in Midtown?"
"I do. I just don't go out all that much." And then I lied, "Recession and economy, ya know?" The truth is that I've become a bit of a homebody, and I've been perfectly okay with that. Everything I need for entertainment is already within 800 square feet of me and I don't need to get out of my pajamas to do it. And Scott is usually there as an added people buffer.
"So what do you do?" she asked.
"Uh, I, uh. Well, I knit. A lot. In front of the TV. And I watch movies. A lot. I have one of those Blockbuster online memberships."
And this girl looked at me through the mirror like she was highlighting the hair of a loser. Worst of all, I kinda felt like she was right.
"I've been thinking about getting into tea," I added lamely. "You know, the expensive loose leaf kind."
Her expression didn't change. We didn't talk much after that.
After she was done and left me at the counter to pay, I gave her a larger tip to compensate the time she spent with the loser who knits.
Then I went to the mall and bought some tea. The expensive loose leaf kind.
3:54 PM
3 weeks ago
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17 comments:
I just want you to know that when I skirted out of the office this afternoon to run to the cleaner's, I called my mom to tell her what I was wearing today because I liked my outfit and felt grown up. "It feels good to be grown up," I told her. And she was all impressed and so was I. And I felt like I should have said that years ago, or reached that point years ago. (However years ago I was either in high school or college.) Anyway, it's a good place to be. And tea? Tea's good. Particularly from Teavana.
Also, I am coming to ATL in March (once I get up enough courage to inform the boss of this) for Britney Spears (pssh). I will have to let you know so we can meet up for some tea!
Oh wow, I had a similar conversation with an Aveda salon student myself! But I didn't admit that I watch TV/movies and love loose tea (which I DO - you have got to check out the loose Republic of Tea Pomegranate Green Tea...SO GOOD). But, after my years of partying, using the word party as a verb, and nursing hangovers while puking in the trashcan at work, well, I'm honestly SO FREAKING GLAD I'm past all that!! Ha! That girl will know exactly how we feel someday. In the meantime, just think of how much CRAP she still has yet to deal with. Blech. You couldn't pay me to go back to that phase of my life. I love being a boring person! ;o)~
yeah tea rocks and I have to say I haven't been out properly in nearly a year... ok yeah I have a better excuse than Scott ;-)
I'm sorta laughing at you but I drink tea and knit so I'm really laughing at myself (sigh).
This scene belongs in either a book or a movie. Tuck it away. Because the visual of the moment is priceless.
aww you're not a boring loser!
to be completely honest, i just took up sewing as a hobby. add that to my scrapbooking, card making, tv watching, and movie watching (i'm a netflix kinda gal lol).
i used to party too, but it was exhausting and expensive. liquor isn't cheap!
i like it better this way.
and i'm only 24.
i admit, 24 to some is old, but still to others it's not.
i just started learning how to crochet, and my own husband told me that only old people crochet and knit. lol.
he's not getting a large tip from me!! haha
I wish I knew how to knit! I do share your love of tea though. I wish we had a Teavana where I live.
naaaaaa
don't you let her lame looks get to you! i'm glad you went and bought that tea. i made mention of wanting to buy those loose leaf kinds of tea, hunzer bought me the little tool you can use to steep them in, and i still haven't gotten around to it :0
it comes with getting a little more mature -- we don't need to "party" as much!
you and me, we've DONE the partying, so we're good. the satisfied look when you say "i don't really party anymore" will make those young kids wonder.
knitting/movie high five!
Oh C'mom, the tea-drinking, scarf-knitting loner is your day-identify only, right? I bet it's a cover for the crime-fighting heroine in skin-tight suit that you become at night ;-)
For the record, I drink tea too, especially when I'm browsing my favorite blogs online.
Oh honey, welcome into the realization that you're a grown up. It sucks!! :P Actually being a homebody is perfectly fine. I'm younger than you and I am a definite homebody and I like it that way. I don't get into trouble and I don't wake up every morning with a hangover. :P Partying is overrated.
Well, you know my feelings on tea. Mmmmm.... tea.... *siiip*
I don't knit (though I used to crochet; now my daughter does). I used to "party" a lot too. (Now it's "going out" and it's now and then. My last big outing? Shakespeare Tavern - Faust. It was awesome.) Here's a perspective: Losers are those people who still party like they're 21 but aren't and shirk the greater responsibilities that they're supposed to have as they get a bit older. Doing shots and getting wasted is supposed to become passe.
Whether you get "old" or not has more to do with whether you can still use your imagination, still connect with your (i hate the phrase but for lack of a better one) inner child. Which, frankly, many "partiers" can't do in their prime. And you can, in spades. So nyah.
And I love Aveda. Good $15 haircut, w00t!
There is nothing wrong with being a loner. I think your story was funny though. I have recently experienced my own case of "lonerism" like I am in my final year of college about to graduated in May and I have just shut myself off from social events of the high volumes like I still go to some of the on campus stuff but that is seldom. I honestly don't know if I have done this cause all of my friends are boring and never want to do anything or if I just don't want to be bothered. But I like to sit at home and paint and crochet. I guess I am a loner to.
Ha! Yesterday, I had to fill out an application for a city-sponsored trip to Japan. I was supposed to fill out my activities. I was like uh...does watching movies a lot count?
You are not a loser.
There is no need to go out everynight and party hard....hmmmm maybe don't read my blog anything dated for 2008, however, I do enjoy my movies and reading and have no problem doing those things on a Friday and Saturday night...in the same weekend. That's right. Party Time!
Ack! Don't worry about it, I love tea and I have a love of teapots too (is that too sad?) and going out is fun but its not the be all and end all. You are very cool... very cool indeed x
It's ok to go out sometimes but, hey, when you have a warm bod at home why bother? Joey loves tea and crotchets which she does while I watch movies ;-)
Maybe you should link to this for the well-intentioned person who suggested you drink too much to land a man for the long term.
And I never saw the fun in drinking so much - I had food poisoning when I was seventeen, the room spun on me, and I wondered why anyone would do that to themselves on purpose. I can have just as much fun when sober.
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