Love-hate relationship

I have a complicated relationship with my hair. It has always been nice and shiny, but stick-straight and unexciting. It has a nice, rich brown color, but I started getting gray hairs in high school, and they were very noticeable against the dark hair. I spent much of my childhood with an awkward bowl haircut and thick unattractive bangs. I had super-long hair in high school, and then was obligated to get the news anchor bob for the first several years of my career.

When I got out of TV, I hacked off my hair and cut bangs. (Well I didn't. They stylist did, or that would have been disastrous.) I liked my hair, but it took a lot of upkeep and the bangs started to drive me crazy. So I started to grow it out again.

During my latest pregnancy, I noticed a few sections that seemed to have a hint of a wave. I thought they must have just been crinkled on the pillow. Then when I went into get a trim, my stylist said she was putting straightening balm in so she could blow dry my hair straight. What?! My hair has always been so completely straight that it wouldn't even curl when I spent hours trying to curl it with various heating elements, and now she was straightening it? Weird.

Sure enough, after Lena was born, my hair had a slight wave all around. I spent a lot of time looking at strands in the mirror. It is very odd to suddenly have different hair. It seemed to have more body as well and was bouncy and healthy.

But in the last few weeks, it has seemed drab and too long again. My hodge-podge of drugstore hair dye wasn't flattering anymore. I went in to the salon and selected a color and haircut on a whim. She said, "You know this will be several inches off right?"

"Yep," I said.

"And you want the bangs," she asked consulting the picture I had just found in a hair magazine.

"Sure, why not?" I replied.

It's funny how hair decisions hold such little weight now as compared to high school when that sort of thing took months of consideration.

So here is the final product:


I am pretty happy with it, though the bangs are already annoying me a bit. And the curl is not so much fun anymore. It gives me weird kinky pieces in the front. I tried wearing it wavy yesterday, but it didn't quite work. This morning I used a straightener. Finally I understand what all those curly-haired girls were talking about when they would complain, and I would say, "I wish I had curly hair."

So this look will do for a little while. Until I decide I want it long. And then I'll decide I want it short again.

--MM