I can’t stand loose, grubby hair on the bottom of my socks. I either go barefoot, or wear slippers around the house. But I rarely go barefoot (tender feet). So we’re back to the slippers. My slippers are (were) Minnetonka Moccasins I had for the last, oh, probably, 20 years. They finally wore through at the toe and there was a gaping hole.
But I loved them so much, I kept wearing them. Last time I was in Taos, I forgot them in my room at Mabel Dodge. I’m sure whoever visited my room after I left, went, “What?! Who would have worn these ratty old things!” and tossed them in the garbage. I wonder who found them? Embarrassing.
Now I have no slippers. I need to revisit the Minnetonka Moccasin website and see what they have. In the meantime, I wear an old pair of Ked’s penny loafers around the house. But they aren’t large and roomy like my slippers and won’t accommodate the bulky butter socks I’m wearing this frigid Minnesota January.
I’ve worn my hair short since I was about 19. Back then, the feathered look was in for short hair. Before that, my hair was long the way women wore their hair in the 70’s, hippie or not. I understand that style has come back. But I don’t pay attention to hairstyles anymore. I wear my hair the way I am most comfortable. That’s all there is to it.
I like blonde highlights, but not just highlights, more like a bleached-out tips look. It’s expensive to get the hair highlighted though. So since I’ve been focused more on my writing, I take fewer trips to the hairdresser.
My grandmother was a beautician. She really enjoyed the work, but it was hard to be on her feet so much. I remember sitting in the beauty salon with her in the early 60’s, drinking icy bottled Cokes out of the machine, and listening to women talk with each other while they sat under those robot like hair dryers that wheeled around. The dryers were bulky and heavy and loud.
I was so hot as a kid, sweating all the time in that Southern climate, that one day I begged my grandmother to cut my hair. She finally gave in. My mother was so upset with her that day. She liked my hair long. But I was happy as a clam with my new bob. Eventually, it grew back out again.
I love getting my hair cut. The pampering that goes along with having someone wash and cut my hair for me, that’s what I love. It’s not that often that we get to have someone else wash our hair. Maybe I’m strange, but I find it kind of nurturing.
Hair was a big deal in the 1960’s. Men wore their hair extremely long. Or else medium with those lambchop sideburns. I’ve come to discover that women have much more freedom around the way they wear their hair and the way that they dress. There are more choices for different occasions. Men seem so much more limited in style. But, at the same time, there can be freedom in that simplicity. So maybe it’s a toss up.
Back to the hair on the socks. I don’t know why that bothers me so much. But I really can’t stand to have dirty socks on the bottom. It grosses me out. Does anyone still say that – grosses me out? That’s what happens in writing practice, you show your flaws and weaknesses, you are exposed. Sometimes the writing is just plain bad. 8)
Body hair? I think Americans are obsessed with either having it or not having it. For women, if they have it, it’s a nightmare. They are stared at, laughed at, made to pluck, pull, yank, wax, and conform. If men don’t have it, perhaps they are athletes, or they might be gay and take off every centimeter of hair from their body. There are many gay men who like hairless bodies. I never asked about the particulars of this. I only know what a few friends have told me – every hair removed.
I like soft, fine hair. I tried to grow mine out a few times over the last ten years. I couldn’t stand it past the mid-stage, when it was driving me crazy, flailing in my face, falling limp and lifeless, where there was once short wild hair with lots of body. I’ve got a gray streak on the right front corner of my hair. It’s become kind of a signature. When I get my hair tipped, I never let them cover that up. I’ve grown fond of the original nature of the steak. It appeared sometime in my late 20’s, early 30’s. It doesn’t seem related to age.
When I was in 8th grade, I had hair like Patty Duke, curled under and wrapped to my head, tucked under my chin. It’s like that in my 8th grade school photo. Maybe I had a premonition of things to come. I traded the fake blonde for the authentic silver streak. And that’s what I know about hair.
Oh, one more thing. Last week, one of the popular local news anchors changed her hairstyle. We noticed right away. It made her look completely different and accentuated her already high cheekbones. She’s a beautiful woman no matter how she wears her hair. But the new cut had bangs and wasn’t as flattering as the old one.
Within, two days, she had swooped the bangs back under the longer hair and parted her hair on the side again. Back to the old hairstyle. I guess we weren’t the only ones that thought the new doo looked like a mushroom. Think of the pressure of being a news anchor, in the public eye every day, two or three times a day. No thanks. I’ll stick with writing every day, alone, from the comfort of my cave.
-posted on red Ravine, Thursday, January 31st, 2008
-related to Topic post, WRITING TOPIC – HAIR
QM, just logging on after a morning hiatus. I laughed out loud at several places, but especially this one:
But I really can’t stand to have dirty socks on the bottom. It grosses me out. Does anyone still say that – grosses me out? That’s what happens in writing practice, you show your flaws and weaknesses, you are exposed.
You hit so many universal themes relative to hair. Ah, the talking head hair. Just last night Jim said about the new talking head who replaced the one who moved to Dallas: Look at her hair! I mean, he and I commented all up and down that poor thing.
The having someone else wash your hair. What a sensuous experience. Some salons make a big deal out of it. It’s all about the water temperature being just right, the person’s nails in your scalp (I always kind of feel sorry for the person who then has scalp goo under their nails — gross me out again). And then, I can never understand how those people who wash your hair NEVER have body odor. I mean, I’ve been the last person of the day, and surely by then these hair washers have washed dozens of heads, some times even during hot summers where swamp coolers aren’t working, and YET, they have no pit stains and no smell.
Hair on the bottom of socks — it IS gross! I hate it. It’s like something that’s always on my mind (pull off the hair, pull off the hair) until I can get a chance to do it.
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I read your post about hair and kept chuckling to myself. I never could have had so much to say about hair, but it was really fun to read; light and funny and well, very true. Thank you for that. Also, regarding your news anchor with the new hairdo…we have one here on our local channel who has been struggling terribly with her hair for years. It even made the news (not on her channel of course) a couple of years ago. She has that long, thick very curly kind of hair that looks a bit unruly no matter what you do with it. For years, she had straight hair on the news – not very exciting, rather unnoteworthy. Then, we heard (on the news) that she had become very frustrated with her industry and that she had been straightening her hair for years because of pressure from her industry to “conform” and have that molded look that news people have. She complained that her hair was completely ruined: brittle, dead and completely unmanageable. And, she said that she hated it straight and was finished with conforming. The channel she worked for agreed to let her stop straightening it and let it be natural. Trouble was, as she had said, it was in terrible shape. So, for months she had to do some really weird things to make it look decent – and it usually looked really overworked and odd. Eventually, as her hair recovered, it began to look better. It was curly and a little unruly, but more natural and much better. It’s so funny but we (my husband and I) really paid attention to this woman’s hair. How odd, but we watched her try to have natural hair and be herself. Some days you could see why she had been asked to have it straightened as it was really unruly and couldn’t be tamed by barretts or any other mechanism.
So, just last week (how prompt your post is!) I noticed she had straightened her hair again. I was so surprised. And to be honest, I felt badly for her. She’d given up. I guess career should come before hair, but still…all that effort to give up the fight. Hmph.
thanks for your interesting read!
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Hair on socks! We’ve got hair on everything on our house. It’s our dog, Two-Socks. She’s kind of like the Peanuts character, Pig Pen, who walks around with a cloud of dust surrounding him, only she walks with a cloud of dog hair flying in all directions.
Bill got a clean plate from the china cabinet the other day, looked at it, and said, “There’s already hair on this”. He used it anyway.
It’s very pervasive in our house. I’ve been embarrassed by dog hair in some hors d’oeuvres I took to a gathering. Luckily, the event was hosted by good friends, so no big deal.
Seriously, when I brush her, I get a garbage bag full of hair. Every day I sweep up another pile of the stuff.
And every day, she is so excited to see me and Bill come home from work, it’s all worth it.
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I’ve been busy today, too, and just took a break to check in – I can’t stop laughing. Thank you all for these great comments. You made my day.
yb, I’m happy to know I’m not the only one who is grossed out by hair on socks. It doesn’t seem to bother some people but I surely have a thing about it!
Katrine, welcome! And that poor news anchor. And isn’t it strange how we end up watching the clothes and hair and mannerisms of the talking heads (as yb puts it)? The other night, after the State of the Union address, Liz noticed that Norm Coleman was wearing the exact same suit and tie and Bush. I looked and she was absolutely right. He might have been a clone. It was so strange.
bloomgal, funny about the flying hair from our adored pets. With 3 cats, I’m always picking something off of my tongue that has flown astray!
Thanks again for all these great comments. And the laughs on break. 8)
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Delightful. Me too… I’d hate to be in the public eye, and I just can’t understand the reality shows and all these people willing to be scrutinized and judged 24/7. It sounds like a nightmare.
And getting your hair done does feel like pampering, to me. I have never enjoyed body massages from strangers, but once had a scalp massage before a haircut and it was heaven. Same with feet… be it a pedicure or a foot massage from a ‘friend’, I love having the very top and the very bottom of my body pampered and cared for.
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ybonesy, I forgot to comment on your “No Pit Stains” observation about those who wash our hair with their armpits right over our noses. I agree – how DO they do that? They must think about it all the time. I have to ask my hairdresser.
amuirin, I think I’ve only had one full body massage from a stranger. It was heaven, but I tend to be kind of shy in that area and had to get over my initial anxiety. However, the head and scalp feels like such a release of tension and pressure. And not all that body anxiety. That’s a good way to put it – having the top and bottom of your body cared for. Safe Zones. 8)
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My problem is that I don’t go to the hairdresser often enough! LOL. And, I’ve been considering getting highlights for some time now….
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As if your lives aren’t busy enough, I have tagged you all for a Writers Q&A meme. Go to my blog, and leave poison pen messages.
Or you can get everyone at this great writers blog to give it a try…
Oh, and I left some Chocolate Pistachio Bundt Cake for you in my previous post.
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QM, first let me say that your hairstyle fits your personality beautifully. I admire that you allow it to go this way or that & it looks great on you! I wanted to comment on your style when you visited us in November. I also envy people with the gray streak Or salt & pepper hair. Alas, my own hair is so mousy looking & thin. The highlights I get seem to thicken it & I always feel more comfortable after having them & am way overdue to have the procedure done again soon.
I feel sorry for your loss of the mocassins. And you talk about hair on socks!. I wear socks all the time, except during the summer months & then it is flip-flops (thongs!)
As you know we have a yellow lab & 2 cats, one pure white & one gray. Hair on the bottom of my socks is a constant occurence. I have grow used to it. I am no longer grossed out by it. Labrador Retrievers shed constantly. I can symapthize with bloomgal!
When J & I chose the carpet for our living room, we joked with the salesman that the color of the carpet had to match the color of our dogs hair! He thought that was quite funny! On the otherhand the choice of texture & olive green color of our sofa & loveseat do not adapt well to the white cats hair. She has her favorite spots on the loveseat & the older she gets the more she sheds. In a matter of minutes she can leave her lovely white spot! Fortunately for us Abbey has never been allowed on the furniture & that works out fine.
I found your post to be quite interesting & I think we all notice the changes in hairstyles of news reporters, stars & public figures! For years I kept thinking about Condie Rice’s style & wondering what she could possibly be thinking of!
That said…I hope you are staying warm in MN. From the looks of things on TV, it looks pretty brutal out there! D
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As I already wrote a long comment about my hair struggles and my Mother so I will not bore you with that again. Alas, my Mother comes to mind AGAIN when reading your wonderful post.
This time it is about pets and their hair..especially dogs. We were not allowed to have pets in our home growing up. Our Mother thinks that is unclean…and she actually said to allow a dog to sleep on your bed is a sin!
Well, my sister and I both have dogs in our homes. So guess what..our Mother will not eat or spend the night with us. What does this mean…it means I will ALWAYS have a dog.
Ringo gives us love and laughter…our Mother could learn a thing or two from him.
Sorry I got off the hair subject. As usual though I had a grand time here!
Oh I almost forgot…Ringo sleeps at the foot of our bed every night so count me among the sinners!! hee, hee.
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Oh my, Katrine, can I ever relate to the anchor who stopped straightening her hair! And I agree, it’s sad. But dang, curly hair is unruly. It’s flyaway all the time, unless you do some sort of Elliemae wave to it. Curly-haired people should just be artists and writers, I say!
Re: animal hair. I have to admit it drives me crazy. When the sun shines through the window and I see all the dog hairs on our floor, I want to immediately sweep it up. Thank goodness I have too many other things needing my attention. I remember my mom used to get so mad at my cat, Tiny Roy, for leaving his hair all over counters and such. But she wasn’t ever a great housecleaner, so mostly she just griped about it versus cleaning it up. (Eventually she banished Tiny Roy, but that was because he marked all over the house.)
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Hey there, QM – I love this writing practice, I love this topic. The icy cokes, the loud hair dryers, that your grandmother loved the work but it was hard being on her feet. Very physical, all the lovely details. And I hate hair on my socks too but am doomed because of my hairy dog-infested lifestyle. And when I was in seventh grade my mom dyed my hair bozo orange and made me have my picture taken with it curled in tight Shirley Temple curls, wearing a bright yellow dress with orange piping on the collar. I almost died.
Anyway, this piece really took me there. Thank you!
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I am hesitating to write about hair becasue of all the aged angst I have about it.
So I ask… why do mother’s think they own their daughter’s hair??
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LOL, bosquechica. I can so picture your bozo orange hair, so matchy with the orange piping on the collar.
Good question, leslie. My childhood experience was similar — against-my-will haircut. Must have been something in the water during two or three decades.
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QM…so sad about the beloved Mocs. 20 years is like losing an old friend. I have my “Ugly Sandals”. I walked into Mervyn’s years ago, found one of them laying on a sale shelf and it fit perfect. I had to hunt for the other one, then told the cashier I couldn’t find the box and would like to know the price. He tried to look them up and then finally perplexed said “Lady, we don’t even sell that brand”! I looked at him and said “Well, if you don’t care, I sure don’t” and have been wearing my free ‘Ugly sandals” ever since.
And hair under socks, …eee, count me in on that. I have to have my ugly sandals ready right out of the shower. Anyone that has pets understands the “hair thing”. It’s just part of the package. Funny how pet owners can tolerate pet hair in food and just pick it out…but “no way” when it comes to human hair! I’m not sure what I’d do if I missed a weekend and didn’t see wisps of cat hair dangling off my husband’s chin stubble… glinting in the sunlight. Makes me smile every time.
Sadly, I was still hoping you had that lovely blue hair. Maybe Liz?
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Heather, are you sure you didn’t pick up the discarded sandals that someone might have left behind for a pair of new shoes? Hmmm…just saying, your Ugly Sandals might have belonged to who knows who before they became yours 8) .
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Of course they did! But funny…the best part of it… they looked brand new top to bottom (no floor scuffs), were the exact color I was looking for, fit perfect and were free 😉 KARMA
I guess I should have left mine behind.
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diddy, thanks. I’m finally getting back to this post. My hair is a crazy thing. It was long and shaggy over the Holidays but I just got it cut again. Zzzwing! Finally found a hairdresser I like out near my new home. She’s great. That’s another thing about hair – when you have to change hairdressers, it can be a problem. The last place I had gone to for over 20 years. But finally, my hairdresser left about the same time I moved. Change is a good thing.
leslie, I have to check out the new tag. I think ybonesy and I are already behind on a couple of them. It seems like we can’t keep up! I don’t know why mothers think they own their daughter’s hair. Maybe it becomes the hair they never had? More questions.
bosquechica, quite the story about your orange hair. I love the line about matching the piping on your collar! Thanks for the comment.
yb, I was going to say the same thing to Heather about her new/old/free shoes. Heather, I wonder who those did belong to before you discovered them. I do miss my old slippers. Man, those things had a lot of miles on them. They travelled all over the country with me. I get attached to my old comfortable things. 8)
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