Froggy Knits

December 03, 2005

fire and ice


~fire and...~

Recently inspired by a photo featuring some absolutely fabulous hair (and glasses AND a stylish and gorgeous bit of lace i might add), I decided to pick up the phone after waaaaay more time than I'm ready to admit and get a hair cut. Now after a long, what seems like permanent relationship with the ponytail, this was quite and ordeal for me. Just to give you a bit of history (the short version), I once went to get my hair highlighted (oops...this may give away how long its actually been since my last do, lol). Well, I asked to slight highlights in a dark, dark, brown that are only really visible in sunlight and certain angles that is extremely...most frankly put....subtle. I showed pictures, followed by much small talk provided only to emphasize my not wanting something that people would even notice right off the bat as I gradually move into the world of hair color.

Oh yeah...short version...anyway I ended up with hair that could be appropriately titled "blond ambition gone bad". It was, in short,ABSOLUTELY AWFULOUS and I insisted on an instant recolor, fix and repair as I (bad timing i know) had a very important presentation the following day at work and refused to show up looking like a bad Madonna wannabe . I didn't realize they were going to bleach my hair (at one point it was mostly white) and then apply highlights and original color (should have asked more questions first...umm yeah!). Too many quick and easy commercials viewed left me thinking they were just going to grab a few strands here and there and it would be "all good". Well they refused to recolor saying that due to the damage caused by the bleach (yaaaah), I would have to wait a few weeks as to not overwork my hair even more(ohhh...now you see that its overworked). I agreed and then left in anger only to return the next morning insisting on a redo as I could not return to work and scare others with what is now "my hair" (yes, i had to reschedule my presentation...luckily without any question of why, but what i assume was received as a request for an extension). Annnnnyway (and this short version is oh...not so short now), they recolored and my hair became what can only be described as a "brassy taupe-like blond highlighted brillo pad". With a pending presentation, I was forced leave and go straight to where?....a barber to take it all off. Now for some reason, at the time I didn't realize that this would be a bit more extreme, but I tell you it was bad and no hair was better...well afterwards...after getting over the buzzing sound and the fact my coworkers may notice this even more than a bad highlighting job, I realized it was better since now I had a chance for heathly hair since the previous do could not be saved though that one day would be in the not so close future.

Oh yeah...now about the fire. Now afraid of anything chemical and permanently altering, I just got a wash, cut, and blowdry. Knowing that my hair has not received any sort of professional maintenance in quite some time, I felt that she would have a lot of fun trimming my hair though I only hoped there was more left afterwards than what you usually see in the bow of a yorkshire terrier. She told me she wouldn't have to take more that an "inch or a half". Umm. heard that before. Well, guess what, I actually love it...her blowdrying skills were like magic and then afterwards she bumped the ends for little wave at the end and I could not stop cheezing. To me, my hair has never looked better. I told her that I have never been so happy with my hair. And even after cutting, I have more than enough length for a ponytail, top knot and various other styles. Oh, and most important, my stylist KNITS and crochets and makes soap among many other crafty ventures. I'm so lucky I found out about her. Thanks woman at Wal-Mart for not being startled by my "Oh please tell me where you get your hair done...you really have to help me stop walking around looking like this, right?" She had the exact highlights I want...maybe next time, lol. But you know I have to mess it up a bit right. Well yesterday morning at computer, situated a bit like the picture above, I was about to blog about some recent book arrivals as well as possible yarns that are currently on my coffee table that may suit some of the patterns. Well, reaching over my computer looking behind the felted tweed without actually having to pick up the yarn (see where this is going), I started to type info from the ball band and smell this weird smell. Thinking that I must check that coffee maker (it has auto shut-off, but what is the problem..it has to be off by now), but i'll finish this and check it out in a minute. Well, it wasn't my coffee maker. It was my hair which was now hanging over the candles doing a dance called "the singe". Now its not that bad and at this point I only notice where I had to chop the ends a bit for the section right over the candle. And though noone that saw my hair claimed they could notice exactly where it happend they could detect the only obvious evidence which was the presence of my new fragrance L'Eau de Hair on Fire. Boy...hair drama never ends...where is that pony tail holder?


~...ice?~

Now the ice. Yesterday while in the city, I thought it was sleeting (though only so slightly). But walking out of Comfort Shoes...boy did I want those Crocs, I noticed that it was really snowing and though it was snowing when I took out the camera, by the time I flicked the on switch and popped off the lens cover followed by a quick flash, there was not a flake in sight resulting in a snowless photo. Oh well, next time I'lll be a bit faster.

Well much knitting coming up. I hope to get lots of pics this weekend. Though I love this sweater weather, grey dark evening skies that are coming a bit earlier each day make it not so easy to get photos that reflect actual fiber colors when I get home.

Posted by froggy at December 3, 2005 05:40 AM
Comments

Oh my god - I'm so sorry about your hair! What a saga! I'm glad you ultimately like your cut - and that the fire wasn't too bad.

My hair is the only real indulging I do. Cut, color - at a really expensive place in the city. But it's worth it!

Posted by: Cara at December 3, 2005 08:10 AM

Oh noooooooooooooooooooo.
Well, first of all...oh yeah for getting your hair done right and finding someone you can go back to. That's the hardest part of it all.
Luckily, hair grows out, but you gotta stay away from that candle, woman!
Hmmm, it's hard to imagine...

Posted by: isel at December 3, 2005 08:19 AM

lol i feel like a bad enabler! i'm *so* glad you went for (and got) a good cut. that's key to feeling good.

i think a lot of us have gotten the bad bleach job. i had no idea they could use bleach! and then like you i had white streaks in my hair. ugh! but getting older does have its benefits and one of them is knowing how and when to say "no" to your hair stylist.

enjoy your new 'do this weekend.

ps - we had insta-snow here yesterday too!

Posted by: jody at December 3, 2005 08:38 AM

Now, a new haircut description without a pic is just a tease.

;-)

Posted by: claudia at December 3, 2005 08:39 AM

It's so nice to find a good hair stylist.

I had such a horrible "blonde" dye job once that I started crying at the salon. It was ashy and dreadful.

Whee - it's snowing outside. It makes me want to curl up on my couch and knit.

Posted by: Amy at December 3, 2005 09:32 AM

Sounds like the first salon didn't know what they were doing!

Hope you can show us ur funky look now :)

Posted by: Emy at December 3, 2005 11:01 AM

I agree with Claudia: pics! I'm not dyeing my hair until its gray, although being a blonde for a while does sound fun.

Posted by: Lauren at December 3, 2005 11:56 AM

Ah comfort shoes. They always lure me, too. I managed to avoid the Benetton on that block the other day, thank god! xox,

Posted by: Julia at December 3, 2005 04:43 PM

Oh, no! I had a baaaad blonde bleach job once myself. It was awwwwwful.

Posted by: Jenny at December 3, 2005 07:09 PM

Having been the victim of Bad Day at Salon myself, I totally sympathize!

Posted by: Becky at December 4, 2005 11:51 AM

ohno! I had to read your post twice because first I thought you had that HIGHlight job done the day before cutting it 1 - 1 1/2 inch - and that cutting it that way saved your hair - I couldn't make sense - but then I read it again and was relieved on your behalf that this unlucky incident was far away in the past! Anyways - yes - puhleeeease - hairdopics!!!

Posted by: karen at December 4, 2005 01:54 PM

My husband wants Crocs for Xmas. My aunt and uncle in FL wear them all the time and they love them.

Glad you found a great hair lady. They are very hard to come by!

Posted by: Niki at December 4, 2005 05:10 PM

I'm glad your hair only got slightly burned. Trust me, it can be much worse. I hope it grows out quickly so you can go back to that wonderful lady again.

Posted by: Pioggia at December 4, 2005 07:25 PM

Oh your poor hair, I hope it grows back quickly. Congrats on finding the right person for your hair.


Posted by: eyeleen at December 4, 2005 11:53 PM

I sympathise :-)
When you find a good hairdresser hang on to them for grim death. Everytime I find one that does my hair how I want it they seem to retire, get pregnant or just leave the island. ( is it me do you think?)
My very first hairdressr said that there were two types of hair, the type that does exactly as you want it to and the type that does exactly what the hairdresser wants it to do and never the twain shall meet - Guess which sort I have - which explains why I alway look like I have been dragged through a hedge backwards!

Posted by: janine at December 5, 2005 05:18 AM

I have soo been there done that :)Never on the colour, I am pretty brave about that. But the cut... oh lordy! I dont know if I will ever go short again thanks to a drenched rat hair do I had that took 8 months to grow out!

I am sure it looks gorgeous

Posted by: stinkerbell at December 5, 2005 10:04 AM

Oh my heck! You set your damn hair on fire! That's funny...only because it wasn't disastrous mind, but fun-neee.

Too bad you don't live in LA, it would start a new trend of "fire trimming" your hair. Some magazine editor would just run with it and everyone's hair salon would smell fun-kee.

Posted by: Sil at December 5, 2005 12:55 PM

I'm with the other ladies. No pic?? Come on. I've been dying to see your hair forever. From all the sneak peeks, it looks very cute. Please share :)

Posted by: erika at December 5, 2005 01:34 PM

Sounds like you got a cute hair cut and your hairdresser sounds like a good one!

Posted by: Michelle at December 5, 2005 07:49 PM

It's great to have you back!

Posted by: margene at December 6, 2005 07:03 PM

Were you away for a while? Anyway I missed you! I know what you mean about the hair. I have had several nightmares over the years in that regard. There is, however, one thing in this small city that I like and that is a hairdresser I found this past summer. She's very expensive, but having shoulder length hair, I only go twice a year for a touch-up on my highlights and a trim.

Happy to see you back!!

Posted by: Maggie at December 7, 2005 08:03 AM

TAG! You're it!

http://womanobsessed.blogspot.com/2005/12/birthday-goodness-and-meme.html

Posted by: Jenny at December 7, 2005 12:33 PM