I'm Distressed

I've noticed I only tend to blog when I am irritated about something. Not always, but that seems to be the case... So, let's just skip the funny stuff and get down to it...

I think I fried someones hair.

As most of you know, 12 year old girls get perms. It is one of those unwritten rites of passage that I shall never understand even though I too participated in this ritual. Go figure (I did it when I was 19 too... cute curly haired roommates are fun and all, but don't ever try to look like them. Then they have to do your hair every morning because you'll never be as good at is as they are. 'nuff said)

So, a perm. I was NOT excited about this. Perms smell, take an inordinate amount of time and effort, and in all honesty they just don't look that good. Nothing is as good as a natural curl. Give up now people!

So I said I would do it. I gathered all my supplies. Except one thing. A cotton strip to run around the hairline. Apparently that's a big deal. So... the plastic cap that I put on touched her skin, she ended up with a mild chemical burn around her hairline because it held the chemical close to her skin (ummmm if your scalp is burning TELL the hairstylist. I will go so far as to say, "DUH!") and somehow she held her hair funny while it was burning and it ruined the first curl in the front. I wasn't paying attention because I was hilighting her sister's hair. I did, however, leave the room for some reason. When I came back her sister informed me the other's skin was burning, and only then was I able to fix the problem. By then, the front curl was weird because she had been pressing it, the red line on her face was present and I think I lost any and all good standing I had at that very moment.

Sigh.
Sigh again for emphasis.
Deep sigh once more.

We finished, the front curl was weird. I've never seen anything like it. I've given a lot of perms too. Oddly enough at school I am known not only as Sister Stolle but as the 'Perm and Roller Set Queen.' More than once I've been told I should work in a retirement facility (not to break any one's heart, but older people are about the only ones left that get perms... someone tell the 12 year olds!) Please don't tell people they should work in a retirement facility. It doesn't exactly make them feel like an amazing stylist- although the elderly are my favorites I do have to say, so it is a fair comment, just not one I know how to make sense of. Am I that bad or is it obvious I love geriatrics?

So this whole situation is even more upsetting to me given I am supposedly good at what I messed up.****


I can't stand when I am not good at stuff..... And so her mom took her to Supercuts (insult of all insults. No offense to Supercuts... I'll probably have to work there someday because I don't want to work full time... but it still hurts.) I'm not sure what they did there but they obviously went to fix something. And little girls feel bad telling their YW leaders that they fried their hair so the truth doesn't always come out so I have NO IDEA.

And to top it off I just feel guilty. I feel bad because I didn't even want to give the perm (what if I subconsciously messed up?- Freud is weird but WHAT IF he's on to something?) I tried to talk her out of it and failed, she paid her own money (I will refund), and I probably helped her along the prepubescent 'awkward path.' Maybe she'll just get through it faster?

AND now people at church will know I stink at hair. Great. There goes the only clientele I even had. I know I will probably get better over time, but everyone will remember the bad perm. It didn't look bad (except the slightly 'off' front curl, and to me it just felt like permed hair. None of that feels to fabulous at first. But what if it becomes the "Remember when so and so let Sister Stolle perm their hair... MUHAHAHAHAHAHA"

I am too (or to?) self conscious for this business.

I can't defend myself. I guess I just goofed.

****I want people to know that I am also upset about the flooding and massive damage to our area. It does concern me and I will blog about it another time. I am so grateful to be safe, dry, and with my family. Never before have I felt the complete necessity of maintaining food storage and water. Randy and I were at such peace during this natural disaster because we were actually prepared (for once!)

I don't want to dismiss the seriousness of the flood issues by blogging about a perm that I apparently messed up. I think I'm actually blogging about my insecurities that I haven't been able to deal with and the perm story sort of epitomized them... but please know that we appreciate the prayers that have been sent our way. Our little family has been very blessed! And I do recognize that a bad perm is not a big deal and in no way compares to the realities that Nashville is currently facing. (That's for Mom who stares at me in shock every time I take my goof ups seriously. I'm always reminded that it is just hair and that what I do is not in fact life or death and does not REALLY matter -thank you mom) I get a little overwrought sometimes...

P.S Randy and I have some exciting news that we will post soon. If you care. Let us know if you care, and we'll let you know our good news!

Grass Anyone?

Ummm, How does one grow a lawn in LaVergne, TN? Bermuda that could potentially crowd out any other flora and fauna (ahem... there is none but maybe someday soon!)and looks nice real fast, Tall Fescue that is the most popular in the area but looks dead until late May and dead-er by August, Kentucky Bluegrass which I know nothing about, Zoysia or WHAT?

PS Yeah, I am tired.... Rescuing my knight from a car with a dead battery all the way in Brentwood. I got home at 2:30. I haven't done that in a long time (And never did until AFTER I was married- that is another story). Too bad it wasn't fun this time.

This isn't fun either- a new timing belt, water pump and something else are needed for our dear sweet Honda. $1200 anyone? Our poor little car is barely worth that - but if we do the maintenance, we can get 60,000 more miles out of it. Maybe. Biggish Maybe.

So, the lawn... I'm going to rip open a bag of Bermuda seed if no one says otherwise. Soon.

Help.

Oh yeah. 4/20. Poor Randy. His students thought it was a holiday. I think he had a bad day that day.... (This is also supposed to be an ever so subtle tie in to my grassy title) I can't believe people still get excited about 4/20! I do have to say, even the fun lovers at Lyle's barely mentioned it so the world must be moving in the right direction. Thank goodness.