Hair Dying

Posted on October 22, 2013 by The Sugarlump

Though I am five at heart, I’m apparently forty to fifty on the head.

Not in the head, but on the head.

I’ve had the good fortune of gray hair since high school. I take this as a sign that I’m wise beyond my years because I am trying to find anything positive about this situation.

As some of you wise-haired people know, these gray hair situations are pricey to conceal. I usually leave the hair dying to professionals but that has gotten expensive and necessary more frequently than I’d like and my friend Jessica assured me it was a cinch to do at home. I decided to take the plunge and let her help me dye my hair. And by help me, I mean do it for me in exchange for dinner. I was on my own, however, for the trip to Sally’s beauty supply.

My natural hair color is a very dark brown, even though my granny calls me her “black-headed” child. I typically like to dye my hair (have my hair dyed by a professional) a tad darker and throw in some violet undertones. It really brings out the green in my eyes and the ghost-like quality of my skin.

I was intrigued by this set of colors. They might make me look more tan than the violet, but that’s probably about all they would do for me.

After I had some fun envisioning myself with radically different looks, I started to hunt the blue-violet among the 350,000 options. Now blue-violet is not a wildly popular color so I had to ask for assistance in finding it. Turns out there were just two options. The lovely helper explained to me the difference:

“Well this is good if you have grays but you’re so yo…(spots the alarming amount of grays on my twenty-five-year -old head)…you have some grays so you should get this one.”

Nice save.

I headed home with my youth in a box as well as a handy little kit of supplies and Jessica got to work mixing up the pigment with the stuff that makes it stick to your hair. Binder? Extender? Developer? Tar? Something like that.

And then came the comment from Jessica that puts every woman who’s about to dye her hair at ease: ”I’ve never seen it look this color in the bottle before…”

Follow shortly by: “For the record, I didn’t pick the color.”

Excellent. I decided to focus on prepping myself for my transformation instead of the helpful commentary.

Having donned my high-end “cape,” I was feeling a little warm.

E: “It’s hot in here.”

J: “Well you’re wearing a garbage bag.”

The whole point of this DIY hair color is to save money. Maybe next time I’ll roll the $2.99 into my 401K and just use a lawn-size trash bag.

I sat on the toilet and Jessica got to work processing my hair. Though my bathroom is fairly generous in size, the fumes from the hair dye were so strong that it might serve as an alternative to general anesthesia. Even with the fan on and the door open, Jessica and I barely maintained consciousness throughout the process.

Jessica finished putting the dye on my hair and we cleaned up my skin around my hairline because after stepping back and looking at my neck, Jessica said, “You look like you’ve been beaten.”

I highly recommend this thoroughly enjoyable experience.

We let my hair “process” on my head for a while and then it was time for the moment of truth after I washed the color out of my hair. If you’ve ever washed violet hair dye out of your hair in a white shower and watched the show Dexter, this might be a very disturbing experience as you might think you’ve been shot. And having just awoken from my hair-dye-induced coma that is a highly plausible situation for all you know.

I made it out alive and my hair color looked pretty good. Jessica will remain in good standing; however, I don’t think I can go through that experience every 4-6 weeks.

Maybe I should go blonde.

Or gray.

Y’all be careful,

Sugarlump

Rainy Day Reflections

Posted on October 1, 2012 by The Sugarlump

Rainy days inspire in me a spirit of reflection. Today, I found myself deep in thought about recent events in my life and those coming up. Rainy days also provide me with great clarity on the things right before my eyes. Here are the thoughts that came to mind while sitting at a traffic light on my way home:

I think it’s time for new windshield wipers.
I love October. There is relief from the heat of summer and the holiday season is just around the corner.
I survived big girl Sunday school yesterday. I had been talking about going for weeks, but had some irrational fear that I would be put on the spot to recite the bible in its entirety. When I told Grandmother I was a little scared to go, she reminded me that this year I moved 1000 miles away from my home of 13 years on my own to a city where I knew no one. She thought I could manage a new Sunday school class. She was right.
I can’t wait to wear boots.
The new season of Dexter began last night. Per usual, I had nightmares after watching it, even though I love it and subject myself to it willingly. I woke up at 6:23AM in a panic and almost got up out of bed to make sure my deadbolts were locked. My alarm clock was due to go off in 37 minutes and the sun was going to rise momentarily, so I decided I was probably safe and rolled over.
I wore a sweater to work today and I didn’t sweat. I guess Fall is actually here.
I was asking one of my clients today if she had any pets other than her golden retriever. She said, “Only peeves.” For a moment, I racked my brain, trying to recall if that is a type of fish or rodent, and then I burst out laughing. People are funny.
I’m hosting Christmas at my apartment this year for my immediate family. I’m so excited that I can hardly keep it together.
I think I’m going to grow my hair out. It’s currently just below my shoulders and I’m at that crossroads where I need to decide if I’m going to have it shaped to my normal just –above-the-shoulders-do or if I’m going to grow it out and become dangerous with a curling iron.
My clients’ almost-two-year-old daughter said my name today. She was also calling her overalls her “backpack,” so this was a pretty big deal.

Y’all stay dry,

Sugarlump

“One Lovely Blog” and “Inspiring Blog” Awards

Posted on September 17, 2012 by The Sugarlump

A gigantic thank you to the Unconfirmed Bachelorette for nominating me for the One Lovely Blog and Inspiring Blog awards. You’re too kind. 🙂

In accepting this award, it is my pleasure to complete the following:

Link back to the blogger who nominated me.
Post the blog award image on my page.
Tell 7 facts about myself.
Nominate 15 other blogs and let the nominees know they been chosen.

7 things about me:

I realized at age 19 on an amusement park ride that I am somewhat claustrophobic.
I don’t have a favorite color as I prefer different colors in different contexts. As a designer, I’d like to think I could make any color appealing with the right companions. Except mauve. I really don’t like mauve in any situation.
I’ve never broken a bone.
I love wholesale clubs. Especially ones that carry 5lb bags of Ghirardelli 60% cocoa bittersweet chocolate chips.
There was a period in my life when I shopped almost exclusively at Gap Boys. Thank goodness that phase is over.
On a semi-regular basis, I have dreams (nightmares) that I am late for high-school lacrosse practice and don’t have athletic clothing, a lacrosse stick, a mouth guard, goggles or my locker combination. I don’t know what this means, but I’m sure it’s serious.
Two of my favorite TEE-vee shows are Reba and Dexter, which could not be more opposite. I think that just about sums me up.

And, now, for my nominees:

A lot of the blogs I like have the same theme that I do. I wonder: Do I like these blogs because I like the theme? Or do I like these blogs because the writers like the same things that I do and therefore I feel a connection? Seriously, like half of the blogs I nominate have the “forever” theme. It’s so warm and nostalgic. So informal and yet tidy looking. It’s how I like things to be.

Y’all hurry back,

Sugarlump