I don't think I've ever drunk dialed anyone. I know it is a popular thing to do. It's probably because I don't drink much anymore.
But last night I went out for drinks with a few friends and at some point the topic of a hair stylist came up (quelle surprise). I handed over a number.
Then finding a good doctor came up. I handed over a number.
By the end of the night, my friends were huddled around my cell phone, scrolling through the list and adding numbers to their phone. So the young drunk dial, the old sip our drinks and swap phone numbers for a good doctor.
Labels: 2008, hair, weird stuff
By: Alyssa | Friday, April 18, 2008 at Friday, April 18, 2008 | | 
I've tried out two products lately that I thought were impressive enough I'd actually write about them in the blog.
So I don't get paid for this. Nobody approached me, I'm not an expert - I've just used these two products under normal conditions. Is that disclaimer-y enough?
First up:
L'Oreal Bare Naturale mineral make-up. Basically, it's like a powdery foundation that you apply with a brush. I like it because it has SPF 15, which is essential for me, and because with a bit of practice I found it very easy to use. I'm not a big fan of foundation. As I get older I do appreciate a little extra smooth coverage, but usually it's just too much.
I needed to practice applying it a few times - it can be a little messy until you get the hang of it. It didn't take me long to get a light application, the way I prefer, with minimal mess. My skin looks even, which it naturally is under most circumstances, but there are times when we could all use a little extra help. I often only wear foundation make-up for weddings or big events. But this stuff is so light and applies so quickly that I've integrated it into my morning routine.
I bought mine for about $11 at Target.
My other product is
Pureology Hydrate shampoo and conditioner. I first tried it about nine months ago when my hair lady mentioned it to me at the salon. I don't normally go in for the shampoo upsell, but since I color my hair I have noticed that some shampoos preserve the color better than others.
In fact, I tried another type of fancy shampoo/conditioner when I ran out of Pureology and hated it with a white hot passion. Red hair color is hard to maintain because you get roots and the ends of your hair fade pretty quickly. I don't think this is as big a problem for blonde or brunette. Anyway, the Pureology stuff seems to keep all my hair the closer to the red I leave the salon with. Plus the conditioner (sold separately for about $22) is really nice and gives you a nice tingly scalp.
Now this stuff is more expensive, I think I paid about $25 at Target for the shampoo. But it lasts me a while. A little goes a long way and I do have a lot of hair. So there you have it, I have used two products that I liked enough I figured I'd tell my internet friends.
The other information you can infer is that I'm watching so much
TV for the podcast that I don't have other fun stories to share with you. I'm working on it!
Labels: 2007, filler, hair
By: Alyssa | Thursday, October 18, 2007 at Thursday, October 18, 2007 | |
Yesterday I was riding the T, minding my own business when lovely woman sitting near me gently tapped by arm.
In very hushed tones she asked if I color my hair. Of course I do. God, this red hair doesn't just grow in.
Anyway, after some careful negotiations I gave her the name of my salon and the name of my hair stylist. She's going for the same red I have.
A couple of weeks ago we were at the grocery store check-out. A cashier from a few aisles over approached to ask me about my hair. She wanted the name of the color, any information, if I had it.
Usually these encounters happen when I'm washing my hands in the ladies room (or worse, waiting in line at the loo). I'm surprised every time.
Looking back, I'm not sure if it was a good idea to give the lady on the train my hair information. Can you use that to steal someone's identity? Probably not.
Unless she goes all
Single White Female on me.
Labels: 2007, hair, weird stuff
By: Alyssa | Wednesday, October 03, 2007 at Wednesday, October 03, 2007 | |
I can always count on my hair stylist (I call her hair lady) for two things. First, she always gives me a fantastic cut and second she reminds me that I'm moving closer to middle age with each passing day.
She was going on and on about her little kittens - she's in love - when a woman walked from the changing area with her special salon robe. She passed a large table piled high with magazines and knocked one over. Like dominoes, the magazines tumbled to the floor.
After replacing all the magazines rather precariously she backed away. But the crash was repeated a few times. I identified the culprit - September's Vogue magazine.
Me: The September Vogue is so huge it's knocking everything off the table.
Hair Lady: I know, it's really enormous.
Me: It reminds me of the Sears catalog at Christmas.
HL: The what?
Me: My mom always got a big Sears catalog around the holidays. My sister and I would sneak it away and make a giant Christmas list from it.
HL: Like the IKEA catalog?
Me: You never had a Sears catalog as a child?
HL: I heard about it.
Me: I'm not that much older than you!
And she was totally humoring me with the whole "I heard about it" business.
I still tipped her anyway. She gave me an excellent scalp massage.
Labels: 2007, hair, weird stuff
By: Alyssa | Thursday, September 20, 2007 at Thursday, September 20, 2007 | |
Yesterday I had an odd exchange with a colleague.
Colleague: Did you get your hair cut?
Me: No.
Colleague: Did you do something different with it?
Me: No.
Colleague: It looks different.
Me: Hmm. Well, I am wearing it down for the first time in like two months.
Colleague: Oh - that's it.
Me: Sometimes you forget that the hair doesn't just grow out as a sloppy, sweaty pony tail.
Today, the pony tail returns.
Labels: 2007, hair, weather
By: Alyssa | Tuesday, August 07, 2007 at Tuesday, August 07, 2007 | |
I went to get my hair dealt with last night. In hindsight I should have gotten more done, but I was tired and couldn't hang around for hours and hours.
Well - I ended up hanging around for hours, but that wasn't how I planned it.
I arrived after work for my appointment and noticed that my hair person was working on another client. But she was still cutting and her client had a lot of hair. I popped in my earbuds, grabbed a magazine and settled in for a good long wait. About forty minutes later she apologized and got going on my color.
Maybe four or five minutes into my session a receptionist appeared to inform my hair lady that Doctor So-and-so was here for her appointment. I giggled. Hair lady said she'd just be another few minutes. The receptionist replied that Dr. So-and-So said she could reschedule if the wait would be long.
Hair lady looked very annoyed and I raised an eyebrow. Hair lady said that she'd just be a few minutes. The receptionist scurried back to the front to face the Doctor.
Me: If you can find someone else to finish my color, that's fine with me. I would hate for there to be an incident.
Hair lady considered this for a moment before finding someone to finish up my color. She apologized profusely for running late and for ditching me for an annoying client. Hair lady thought it was weird that Doctor So-and-So insists on making appointments as Doctor So-And-So.
Being a doctor might help you pull rank at the hospital or maybe a fancy restaurant. But at the ol' neighborhood salon it doesn't mean much.
I giggled at the irony of a doctor being annoyed with a wait. I guess Doctor Whatsherface doesn't have a sense of humor.
Labels: 2007, hair
By: Alyssa | Friday, July 06, 2007 at Friday, July 06, 2007 | |
Yesterday I went to the dentist. I was a little nervous because the last time I was at the dentist I had to get some very expensive and somewhat painful work done. Guess who has her own gold pirate tooth?
After my cleaning, the hygienist told me that I was due for my x-rays. Off I went to another room to meet the x-ray dude, the monologist - I'll call him Job.
Job covered me with the x-ray bib and then started chit-chatting with me. About my hair.
Job: I really dig your orange hair.
Me: Thanks.
I guess that technically my hair is orange - I prefer to think of it as copper and auburn. But whatever.
Job keeps rambling on about redheads, whom he insists on calling orange heads. To me redheads mean Rita Hayworth and Lucille Ball. Orange heads are like... I dunno - Bozo the clown?
He shares his deep admiration for
Reba McEntire's hair. He like short, funky, orange hair. He doesn't like Debra Messing.
At this point, I'm really started to think this guy is hot for clowns. Thankfully my dentist arrived. He kicked me out with a new toothbrush and a blog entry.
Labels: 2007, hair, weird stuff
By: Alyssa | Wednesday, May 09, 2007 at Wednesday, May 09, 2007 | |
I've gone for my bi-monthly hair doing.
That's for you
Mike Pope -
BIMONTHLY! Every two months. Go crazy people.
Anyway, I usually bring a book, an MP3 player, a magazine and some kind of doodling thing. My hair lady and I get along just fine, but I'm there for a long time (over 2 hours!) and frankly, I don't think she's obligated to talk to me the whole time.
I read for a while, then we chat, then I read some more. Tonight we talked about feeling old.
Hair Lady: I don't really do sports.
Me: Yeah, I don't ski or anything like that.
HL: What if I broke my hand? I'd be out of luck.
Me: You're starting to sound like a fogey now.
HL: I really am.
Moments later she flipped huge hunks of my hair in such a way that I was compelled - by law - to make a
Flock of Seagulls joke.
HL: Oh yeah! That was bad.
Me: Yeah, nothing like weird black hair with platinum tips.
HL: What year was that?
Me: I'd say early 80s - like 82 maybe.
HL: That's why I don't really remember it. I was born in 83.
Me: No.
HL: Yeah.
Me: Wow, I thought we were closer in age.
HL: When were you born?
Me: 74.
HL: Wow.
Me: Yep.
We were silently contemplating the years between us. Nearly a decade.
HL: 74 isn't bad. Could be 24.
Me: You are very comforting.
HL: So you weren't kidding about going blonde at 40.
Me: Well, no. I think about these things now.
HL: It's still a long way away.
Me: For you maybe.
She laughed politely. I tipped her anyway.
Labels: 2007, filler, hair
By: Alyssa | Wednesday, February 28, 2007 at Wednesday, February 28, 2007 | |
So last night I had this very specific nightmare. And really – this is so revealing about me as a very shallow person I can hardly stand to share it. I probably wouldn’t except that I’m a little light on blog content today.
Ahem.
I dreamed that I had an appointment to get my hair “done” (which is a lengthy 2+ hour process that involves dye, razors, scissors, product and trashy magazines – and occasionally panicky calls from my husband). In my dream I also had a Very Important Meeting with someone named Nick.
The meeting was in conflict with my hair appointment – which I realized as I sat down in the stylist’s chair. I looked at my hand and saw a little piece of paper with Nick’s name and a time on it. I looked at the clock and realized I had to motor – ditching my appointment.
In the dream I was deeply disturbed that I had to reschedule because it would be at least two weeks before I could get into the salon again.
And then I woke up.
This is the kind of stuff that haunts me. Plus I have on idea who Nick is.
Labels: 2006, dream, filler, hair
By: Alyssa | Thursday, November 09, 2006 at Thursday, November 09, 2006 | |
Deeps is hard to rattle when it comes to…. Just about anything. But that doesn’t stop me from trying.
Me: What’s going on with your hair?
Deeps: What?
Me: Your hair looks different.
Deeps: Hmm.
Me: Yeah, like… like anchorman hair. But I like it.
Deeps: Oh I used your shampoo.
Me: The red stuff or the volumizer?
Deeps: I guess the volumizer since my hair isn’t red.
Me: And the bathroom doesn’t look like you’ve hacked up a body.
Deeps: Is that from the shampoo?
Me: Wow. I had no idea that volumizer actually works.
Deeps: I guess it does.
Me: I think I have too much hair for it to work.
Deeps: And I have just enough.
Labels: 2006, filler, hair, marriage
By: Alyssa | Thursday, October 26, 2006 at Thursday, October 26, 2006 | |
