Cleaning out the clutter.

I have a goal, that is to clean out the clutter filling my house. Seriously. I have to get a handle on it. Living in a tiny space, we are often overwhelmed by our things. Thank God for ebay, thrift stores and freecycle.

Likewise, I realized I have left some internet clutter out there and left you dear readers hanging on a few issues. Since I realize it has been hard for you to sleep at night, wondering, about those cliffhanger endings of mine, I am going to update you.

Regarding the inappropriate questions on the newspaper job application. That was delayed a few weeks because of the Nashville trip, then the conclusion was rather uneventful. I asked for a new application when I went back and lo and behold it was a new application, minus all the inapporpriate questions. I turned it in, talked the the manager for a while, and have heard nothing about a job. I doubt anyone related to the paper reads my blog, or anyone in this town for that matter, but who knows.

Regarding my wonderful curly locks. I am still not "loving" my haircut but am loving my hair since I tried the new Tresemme Curly Hair product line. I also was ecstatic to get a some free samples from the Queen of Curly Manes, Ouidad by signing up for their brochure. While I had been to the site before, Mocha clued me into the freebies on her blog, it doesn't say you will get free samples but I did, just sign up for the brochure, wink wink. Now if I could just win the weekly giveaway. Just for the record, no flat iron has touched my hair of late.

Zach finished preschool, as an A+++ student, or at least I assume so. (Just kidding folks, they don't keep grades at Headstart.) We have only two more tee ball games left, of late we have gone around the bases in the right order, so that is progress as well. Oh and we got invited to a birthday party for non family. That is exciting since we have lived here and year and this is the first invite. Someone wants to see us again that isn't obligated by family ties. Awesome! Although my precious Max Attack bit a kid at playgroup, and we are actually forgoing church over it tonight because he has been a terror and I am afraid to subject the nursery workers to him today. That is a step backwards for us, he hasn't bit anyone in a several months. Ben and I should both be going to the party so we can take Max and hopefully get a repeat invite.

Lastly I did actually use my workout clothes for good and hauled a bunch of gravel from the back 40 to the front yesterday. I need to finish the job today. I felt awesome, and had a Kashi Bar for a snack, I had got an email from Kashi about a coupon and I was estatic when I dropped by their website and found that they are giving away a free sample of their Granola. I love this stuff, and thought I would pass it along.

By the way all the freebie links are just because I want to share, not because I am sponsored or anything. For the record, I am not in the business of mommy blogging.

Curl Up & Dye

I have been in a bad mood about my hair this weekend. I got it cut, which usually upsets me. I freak out, and think it is too short. This week was no exception, the layering job on my hair seemed to look more like Eddie Van Halen then the Elaine curls I prefer. While I was kvetching, I pondered that maybe I was the only one who could see the difference to my husband. He gave a slick answer. I don't see the difference, but if it is important to you, it is important to me. Is the man running for office?

Mostly I get upset because I don't think my stylist understands curly hair well enough, nor do I seem to have the ability to explain what I want. I would like to state that I really like my stylist and she is trying to learn, and I don't think I have a better option in my area of the world. (Their are stylist who specialize in curly hair, but not in my remote backdesert.) A while back I didn't get my hair cut by a professional for three years and I snipped it myself because everyone else wanted to hack it off, make it behave, and generally just didn't get curly hair.

I decided to use the flat iron to calm the Eddie look down and flat ironing my hair makes it seem like it grew a foot since no matter how long I have let it get it, the curls always spring up to right around my collar. I admit it had been a long time since I had done it, and it was drastic change to see my hair straight.

However at my mom's birthday party, Saturday night, the reactions started to get under my skin. The compliments were fine until one my mother's oldest friends who often has encouraged me to chemically straighten my hair, went on and on about it. I try to grin and bear it, knowing she hates her coarse curly hair and is always fighting it. When other relatives started suggesting I get it done chemically I started to get hot under my collar.

My family aren't the only ones who feel that way. The lady on the Millionaire Matchmaker told one girl who to straighten her hair, men don't like it curly she said. I know other people who religiously blow dry theirs out every day, and would rather be caught dead than curly. I have had other people tell me they will take me more seriously with straight hair, it looks more polished put together.

Maybe I am a rebel, but I want to wear it curly. Some people actually pay good money to get their hair curly like mine. I am not talking a frizzy mess or unkempt hair. I get nice defined curls most of the time, or at least I think I do. I am bugged because apparently many people see me as mess with my hair au natural, not the way I see my ringlets with love. In fact there is a whole website devoted to girls like me who love their curly locks.

It can be fun to have straight hair for a while, like having a secret identity, but it is a lot more work than I normally do on my hair,because I have two small boys who can make a big mess in the half an hour it takes to straighten my hair. (That is on a good day, it often takes longer.) I can't fathom why they think the change should be permanent.

Culturally I wonder why people see the straight hair as the better option. Sugar & Spice had an interesting post about it from another race's perspective. I can't help but think of Julia Louis-Dreyfuss who has progressed from a bunch of frizzy curls, to tamed curls, and then to straight. Maybe it is an attempt to break the Seinfield curse?

Picture A, on Sunday, Picture B a few weeks ago prior to the cut.

I am curious what you think about it. Sexy or a turn off? Professional, unprofessional? Unsightly or lovely? Go ahead and tell me the truth, I can take it. What's the worst thing that will happen, you will make my hair curl?