The Big Chop

My hair can be tough to handle.  At night I have a very involved routine to set it for the next day.  As any curly-headed person will tell you, getting our hair to co-operate can be a battle.  Sometimes I say, "Ah, forget it." and wear a pony tail for weeks at a time, pulled back so tight I would have to sleep with my eyes open.  

But this weekend, I got fed up with my fear!  I'm always afraid to get a haircut.  Not many people know how to, or are comfortable with curly hair.  And mine is curlier than most.  But the 4 inches of split ends were making my frizzy fro into a frizzer nightmare.  And its starting to get hot outside, and my hair is like insulation for my head.  

So I did it.  I took the plunge.  I went to the hairdresser.  I got a haircut.  This may not seem life altering to you, but let's talk about my personal history of haircuts.  There has only been a handful of them done professionally.  Yes, in my life.  Yes, I am in my 30s.  If I were to make a list of my bottom 3 worst hairdressing experiences, it would look something like this:

Haircut 1: Sometime in 1986.  I had waist long curly hair.  It was beautiful from what I've been told.  My mom got fed up with trying to wash, brush and braid it.  No one could really tame it, so I got a haircut.  My waist length hair buzzed (!) off with clippers.  I don't know if this was supposed to be a punishment, but there are pictures out there where I look like my brother's brother.

Haircut 2: Around 1997. In high school I wanted my hair straightened sooo bad.  So I went and had it relaxed.  But, the woman who did it burned my hair so bad, that it was coming out in clumps. We had to cut all the damaged parts out, and this left my hair un-even and unmanageable.

Haircut 3: 2002. In university to celebrate the end of exams, I thought I would get my hair trimmed.  However, after pulling an all-nighter to write my last exam, I was tired and dozed off in the chair.  I asked for a trim, and the woman cut off 6 inches of hair.  I only had 8 inches of hair to start with.  

None of these experiences have left me with a deep desire to get my hair cut again.  Ever.  So for the last few years, I have been cutting my hair myself, like an incredibly cheap person.  It didn't look so bad, but I do wear a lot of ponytails, so no one had to know.  But this last time, I messed up.  And I had to go and get it fixed.  

So I did.  And it changed my life.  Voila:

I went from big, curly (shoulder length) hair with 5 inches of split ends (!) to a chin bob.  And while it may not look like much to some people, it was a very big deal for me.  A ponytail is difficult with my hair this short.  And I'm most comfortable in a ponytail. 

But I think it is totally cute.  And now my earrings don't get lost in it.  It's bouncy and fun.  And a co-worker called it "chic."

No one ever called my hair "chic" before!  I'm glad that I took the chance on a hairdresser again and went for the big chop.  I'm back to my natural hair color, with no leftovers from the chemical straightening I had done years ago.  I'm back to the natural state of my hair.  And I'm so happy with it.