I Chopped Off a Foot…Twelve Inches of Hair

Image from Pantene's Website

I keep waiting to feel sad, but it’s just not happening.  My friends who’ve already done this warned me that I’d be sad.  I’ll cry, they cautioned, it will take awhile to get used to the change.  The latter part is true for sure, but not in a negative way.  I’m chronically squeezing out too much shampoo and then too much conditioner.  As someone raised as a Lutheran Scot in the Midwest, I definitely feel guilty about that waste, but not sad.

A week and a one-half ago, I cut off twelve inches of hair which I donated to the Pantene Beautiful Lengths Program.  This program’s mission is to provide wigs to women who lose their hair due to cancer treatments.  (I considered donating to Locks of Love, which makes wigs for children.  However, most LoL recipients suffer from alopecia and cancer is a more personal cause for me and my family.  I looked into both organizations and both are solid causes.)  The last time my hair was this short, I still had baby teeth and Mr. Reagan was clamoring for Mr. Gorbachev to “tear down that wall.”  It’s clearly been awhile.  I did maintain enough length that my hair is roughly at my shoulders and I can pull it back into a perky (short) little ponytail.  Still, it feels kind of crazy.  I reach back to touch it all the time, to make sure it’s there, but it’s also not all there.

Cold Weather Survival Tip: Thinking of Others

This post is inspired by 90% of status updates on facebook.  I share with you select wisdom of my mother:

1.) It is cold outside, you are correct.

2.) It is January and you live in the tundra.  What did you expect?

3.) Everyone else in the tundra is cold too.  These negative temperatures do not just affect you.

4.) Whining about the weather will neither make you any warmer nor endear you to others.  (I have been alerted that some folks feel solidarity with others and bond over the cold temps.  Fine, you might feel solidarity, but I bet you don’t feel warm.)

5.) Buck up.  Find something to do.

Five Good Things

1.) My college friends and I had our tenth anniversary Christmas celebration.  While I wish I got to see them more often, but I’m glad we have a standing, annual reunion.  (And we’re totally going to submit a picture to our alum magazine.  We’re aging well.)

2.) I get to see my old nanny kids today!  They are wonderful and amazing, probably because those same adjectives apply to their parents.  It’s on the way to my family’s Christmas location, so I’m spending a couple of days with them first.

3.) I get to see some of my family for Christmas!  While we are going to have to call those that cannot make it, the group of us that will be together should have a blast.

4.) Family Christmas is being held in a much, much warmer state than the tundra.  Like, I-packed-a-different-jacket warmer.

5.) While I rarely check suitcases, the length and climates of this trip (along   with the packed gifts) required me to do so.  My suitcase?  It weighs 49lbs.  (There’s an additional charge for exceeding 50lbs.)

Update: Open Email To My Brother

I recently enjoyed a long phone conversation with my brother.  The broski and I live in different states and work very different schedules, so we don’t get to talk as often as ideal.  (We do get a lot of updates on each other from our dad.)  During our recent chat, my bro referenced my concerns about his voting habits. 

The Brother assured me that not only did he of course vote (and he was aghast I worried he’d forget) but he most assuredly did NOT vote for Michele Bachmann.  While my worry factor was minimal, I’m willing to forgo the bonus inheritance on this one.  Obviously Bachmann did win the seat, but it wasn’t because any of my kin voted for her.

PS Not to get overly political when I am sleepy, but seriously, Bachmann: pretty sure global warming is NOT a hoax.  Umkay?  Thx.

Effective ICE Contacts

My family bought our first cell phone – “for the family” – in the early 1990s.   It was roughly the size of our smaller cat; the battery alone outweighs my current phone.  And actually using that original cell phone?  Emergencies only!  Quick emergencies only!  Quite the opposite of my current life, in which my phone is where I check and send emails and text messages, find recipes online while at the grocery store, ask “The Goog” pressing questions, get directions, play games, study for the GRE, and yes, make the occasional call.  Despite all of its fancy tricks, emergency calls remain its most basic and most important function. 

 

I’m going to try not to get overly dramatic, but the most important thing your cell phone can do is aid you in an emergency.  Whether it’s a life-saving call to 911 or a call to a contact during a rough situation or medical info stored in notes; your cell phone can help big time.  If you do not already have an ICE (In Case of Emergency) contact stored in your phone, do it.  Do it now. 

Five Good Things

1.) I have a Diet Coke habit.  I like the DC in the afternoon, usually while the kidlets nap.  To support my habit, I bring a DC with me to work pretty much every day.  My current employers noticed and started stocking DC for me.   I recently switched to bike commuting and while a can of soda is neither large nor heavy, it’s really nice to have one less thing to pack and carry in the mornings.

2.) I leave for Thanksgiving vacation tomorrow!  It is going to be fantastic.

3.) A little over a week ago, I started selling things I don’t want ebay.  Today I broke $100 in sales!

4.) I found – and bought – a fantastic Christmas gift for my stepmom.  This  is my third BIG WIN Christmas gift purchase of the season.  I often end up with safety gifts for my stepmom, so it’s especially nice that I found something unique for her this year.

5.) I don’t have to work at all this week!  (Hence why I get to leave for vacation Tuesday morning, ha.)

An Open Email to My Brother

The following is an open email to my brother, who happens to live in Minnesota’s Sixth Congressional District.

Dear Bro,

Mom and Dad raised us to be strong, intelligent, and compassionate people; they instilled in us a sense of duty to vote our consciences.   I would never consider telling you how to exercise your civic responsibility and right.  However, I will tell you this: I talked to Dad tonight and he said if you vote for Bachmann, he’s rewriting his will and I will get everything.  Go America!

Love,

The Sister

Five Good Things

1.) My employers went apple picking last weekend.  They were a little overzealous with their harvesting, so I have a big bag of apples.  YUM.

2.) My weather report is for sunny and warm enough ALL WEEK.

3.) My dad left the tundra for the winter; he’s a total snowbird.  Fortunately, he’s a snowbird who welcomes company.

4.) I am a kitchen champion.  I found a fantastic brownie recipe and my black bean soup is as delicious as always.

5.) I opted in for cell phone insurance.

Glimpses of Home

When I Get Up in the Morning

 

When I Go to Bed at Night

Five Good Things FROM VACATION!

I’m on vacation!  Such a good thing.  Here are five more good things, mostly related to that fact:

1.) Home is no longer on dial-up internet.  The folks might not have wireless (yet) but they’re finally running on all cylinders.

2.) Constant deliciousness.  My inner hobbit is actually sated.

3.) No streetlights.  Nights are calm, quiet, and DARK.

4.) I didn’t set an alarm this morning; the world managed just fine until I decided to get up.

5.) I’ve been visiting with lots of family and friends.  Everyone is in good health and good spirits.