Day 8: Hair

[cjsmith]

I have short hair now. (Yes, everybody who keeps telling me what I should do, I did donate to Locks of Love.)

Need new user icons.

Also, a New England reminder: I forgot the noises a whole lakeful of ice can make. I'd never have thought to describe it when I lived here, but now that I've been away I recognize it as something I don't hear in California.

Comments

[lesliepear.livejournal.com]

Wow! It will be a time saver. And someone out there will thank you for the wig :)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

It took me twenty minutes to fluff it up this morning, and I'll have to get it cut every six weeks. Time saver, sadly, I think it ain't. But I can swim.

[eeyore-grrl.livejournal.com]

HOLY COW!!!! and congratulations on the hair/life change thing. you're spunky now... i'm not sure that's *quite* the right sentiment... but it is cute.

how do YOU feel about it?

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Still in shock. I didn't want to do it, but if the ONLY exercise I can do is swimming...

[vito-excalibur.livejournal.com]

Awww. You look elfin! Very cute. And your sister is a hottie.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Aw, thanks! And yeah, she's the good looking one.

[tenacious-snail.livejournal.com]

mraow

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

;-)

[just-cyd.livejournal.com]

omigawd!!!! *squeals*

i can't believe you finally did it!! do you feel naked? did you get a huge headache just after the cut?

i love the new 'do! it makes you look so grown-up! *musses up your hair because i can* hurry back to where it's warm-ish, and go for a ride in a convertable! then go swimming! and then marvel at how quickly your hair dries. and how little shampoo you need!

and thank you for donating your hair. i know your hair will (help) make a beautiful wig for a child that needs it.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

No headache, but I still catch myself reaching to move it out of the way.

I poured out too much shampoo this morning -- even though I'd been warned!

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

Aieee!!!

You're still cute, even with short hair. :)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

even with

Ouch! Well, glad I'm "still cute" I guess.

[tshuma]

I think this is my favorite pic of the new hair.

[eeyore-grrl.livejournal.com]

agreed!

[theoctothorpe.livejournal.com]

Another cool thing to do on a frozen lake:

Chuck a heavy coin (like a nickel) onto the frozen lake. It will make the best sounds *EVER*

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Oooo, I gotta try that!

[theoctothorpe.livejournal.com]

Along with the new hair, are you gonna do the whole clothes/furniture/make-up Queer Eye thing?

I remember when I cut my hair short (It was about your long-length at one time). It felt *so* good to just "let it go".

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I'd like to, but I suspect it would take more time and effort than I'd want to give it.

I'm still conflicted about it. Sadly, I must swim. It's the only form of exercise I can do fully.

[kimatha.livejournal.com]

It's super cute! I wish I looked that good with short hair.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Aw, thanks! I have never thought I looked all that good with short hair, but o'course I never really thought I looked all that great with long hair either. (I love thick healthy sturdy hair and that's not what Nature gave me.) So I'm glad people are commenting -- it helps. I'm still in a "YIKES!" reaction.

it looks fabulous

[moriamerri.livejournal.com]

I can totally relate to the conflicted part--- and even though I am a big time admirer of long hair, the short style looks sooooooo great! Even as a long hair fan I think short looks better (at least on you, in this particular style. Doubtful it would look anything like this on me.....) I'm also quite admiring your courage to go to something so DRASTICALLY short. That is really really brave.....

Re: it looks fabulous

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Thanks very muchly! In my case it's the "bravery" of needing to swim. I was soooo not going to deal with that with a waist-length mane. I'm glad the stylist was willing to do the drastic change, instead of having me do it in steps, 'cause this made a better donation for Locks of Love. :-)

[jb98.livejournal.com]

I think it looks HOT! You look much younger with short hair. Hopefully once you get used to the idea, you're going to love having short hair.

*drool*

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Aw, thanks! :-) It's funny, some people have said I look more mature/grown-up/professional and your impression is I look younger. Amazing what hairstyles do for our image!

[dizzdvl.livejournal.com]

Squeeee!!!! That looks so great!

Have you had the mini-freak out in the shower when you use too much shampoo because you think there is more hair there?

I'm glad you are in CA and not here because your ears would have frozen off by now.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Aw, thanks! :-)

Yes, even having been forewarned I poured out too much shampoo. Oh well -- I'll get used to it!

I'm in Massachusetts at the moment, but it's not too awfully cold. Below freezing (the snow's sticking and the lake's frozen) but not negative ten or anything. Glad I have a hat.

[lkeele.livejournal.com]

Wow, what a change. You look beautiful! What made you decide to cut it, if I may ask?

It's like -- it's like we traded hair!!

[lkeele.livejournal.com]

I answered that question myself, no need for you too. Hugs, my dear. You do look adorable with the short hair!!

[datagoddess.livejournal.com]

It's cute! And that's a very flattering cut for you!

I understand the conflict - when I got my hair cut from waist-length to shoulder-length, it was weird, then when I got it cut into a very short layered thing I kept looking for the phantom ponytail.

I'll probably get mine cut off again eventually, but I'm still growing it out at the moment :-)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I'm still reaching to pull the phantom ponytail out of the way when I lie down. Every night I notice I do it! :-)

Thinking of donating when you do cut? I found that part of it kind of fun. They made a big fuss over how generous and kind-hearted and thoughtful and brave I was to hack off that much length and hand it over. Little did they know I really had no choice.

[quasigeostrophy.livejournal.com]

WOW! Looks great! I've always had more of a preference for longer hair, but when a short cut is done well, as yours was, I like them, too. :-)

I forgot the noises a whole lakeful of ice can make

Several years ago I was on my sister's fish farm in southern Indiana with my dad and brother-in-law, in the winter for the first time. We walked way out onto one of the frozen ponds and I kept hearing these weird sqeaking, pinging, whistling noises that I learned were being made by the ice. Eerie.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

Yeah, those little ice noises are nifty. The one I heard the other night -- a long, drawn-out groan, almost like a truck going by or like thunder -- was pretty odd too. :-)

[apparentparadox]

Hmm, I didn't get anywhere near the number of comments you did when I cut my hair! But then, going from 2" to 1/4" isn't quite the same :-)

I know that it's hard, but try to focus on the positives: someone will have some nice hair because of you, and it will help you get some exercise.

(And, they say that it will grow back)

But, also, feel free to bemoan the inevitable/unavoidable to your friends. That's what we're here for.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I'd've thought that when you went to 1/4" everybody would want to brush their hands over your head! Did they?

Right now the reassurance that it'll grow back is keeping me sane. I remind myself that if I'm not comfy with this in six weeks I can simply never make the appointment to get it trimmed.

[wooddragon.livejournal.com]

WOW!

That's a huge change! It does look great. I've done a similar thing (tho my hair never gets to waist-length) twice in my life, and I was amazed at how much lighter my head felt.

I look forward to hearing how the swimming goes...

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Aw, thanks! I'm still not at all used to how it looks in the mirror, and I sort of keep thinking I'll wake up with it long again and this will have been a weird dream.

You have wonderfully thick hair. I bet your head feels incredibly light when you cut it short suddenly.

[excessor.livejournal.com]

As much as I liked your longer hair, I really like the short cut, too. You look terrific.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Aw, thanks! :)

I'm fond of saying that there's hair that should and hair that shouldn't be grown long, and mine really shouldn't. It's fine and dry and full of split ends middles. But it truly is the easiest-care hairstyle I've ever had.

[wispfox.livejournal.com]

Where in New England are you right now?

And I'm curious as to if anyone you know will have trouble recognizing you with the hair cut (I would, but I'm known to have trouble recognizing people).

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Natick, MA. Not too too far from you if I remember right! I fly back this afternoon.

So far the only people I've seen have read my LJ. I am curious about what will happen when I show up at work tomorrow morning!

[simplykimberly.livejournal.com]

You look absolutely charming!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Aw, thank you! :)

[jtidwell.livejournal.com]

I think it looks great! For what it's worth, I think the new cut flatters you much more than the long hair did.

(By the way, if you're in New England right now, did you know that I work very very close to where you are? And that I'll be at work this week? :-) Hint hint!)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

It was SO GOOD to see you! I'm sorry I didn't get more of a chance to talk to you!

Your hair looks great on you, too. I'm noticing people's styles more now, can you tell? :-) Do you blow-dry it? Put anything in it? How straight/wavy is it naturally?

[butterfly-smile.livejournal.com]

okay WOW, i love it.
But I have had short hair for many years.
It makes you look so much younger.

Did you donate it?

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Some people say younger, some say older / more grown-up. Interesting!

Yes, I did donate it. They made a huge fuss over how brave and generous I was to hack off that much length and hand it over. Honestly, it wasn't about bravery or generosity. I simply had no better choice. But I let them fuss over me anyway :-)

[sunnydale47.livejournal.com]

Oh, CJ, you look so pretty with your new haircut!

After many years of having short hair I let mine grow because (a) I'm too lazy to get it cut every 6 weeks; (b) I begrudge the money it costs to much to keep getting it cut every 6 weeks, considering that I really don't care about my hair as long as it looks presentable; (c) I can put it up in the summer to get it off my neck; and (d) it's easier to take care of when it's long because it's just wash and wear, I don't have to do any styling or anything. Right now it's a little past shoulder length, and I do want to get it trimmed, but those round tuits are so hard to come by....

But long hair does take a long time to dry, and it gets in the way when you're swimming. It weighs your head down, too ... looking at your pictures I'm starting to miss the feeling of freedom of short hair. (But then when it's short I miss the feeling of it swaying around my head, and you can't have it both ways!

But you look beautiful ... younger in years, but more mature and professional in attitude. And it won't be long before you stop wondering "Who is that?" every time you pass a mirror!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Aw, thank you!

Your reasons for growing yours long are all reasons I wanted to keep mine long, too. It was the easiest-care hairstyle I ever had. It cost zero money on products, zero time with a blow dryer, zero time and money in hair cut places, zero shelf space for brushes and pomades and mousses and all that crap. It was perfect for me. But if I'm going to swim I really have no better choices right now.

younger in years, but more mature and professional in attitude

Aw, thanks! That's wonderful -- I'll take it! :-)

[firecat]

I like!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Thanks! :)

What do you do to yours in the morning, if I may ask? Yours is nice and curly and frames your face well. Do you work hard for that? (I'm noticing / thinking-about stuff like that a lot more right now!)