Four Out Of Five Aint Bad

I called in sick to work on Sat so I could spend a little much needed time pulling my head out of my ass. It flew by, but I feel much better and cant WAIT to leave wed night for nine days in NYC. Thats nine days without work or school. Kenehorah. I am writing in a real rush, which I hate cause some of the good stuff inevitably gets away. The end of the quarter was interesting. First of all, the practical exams were a trip. I squeaked in under the line, taking my relaxer client out from under the dryer at 225 when we had to be all the way finished at 230. Carrie's foil was first and I think it came out really well. The high lift color was perfect and the only thing I would do differently next time would be to remix a batch halfway through to keep the same potency in each section. I had all her foils in in under an hour and I felt pretty good about that. I followed Lindseys perm to the letter but it didnt take. I felt like aside from wrapping it on way small rods and risking a poodle perm that I did everything I could do to ensure success. I failed. I have to retake it next quarter. WEAK!!! Who the hell else is gonna let me perm their hair??? Im going to have to go and recruit at a nursing home. Oh well. Its good for me, builds character. Ms Dolores tore me apart in her grading. I think someone told her that I said she was crazy as a shithouse rat because she has been ignoring me like a po'd 7th grader for the last month. I dont really care exept that it means that she takes it out on me by enforcing even more nitpicky rules than usual. The rest of the test went fine and considering it was my first perm on a human being, I suppose it makes sense. This whole perm thing is like studying conversational latin anyway, dead dead dead!! If you live in an urban area and arent planning to work at great clips "select outdated service" salon, you really dont need the perming.Then we have our traditional mind numbing three days of time wasting and socializing. I did Brianna's hair again, the blonde to pink to purple and it came out beautifully this time. On the wed after the practical, I brought Lincoln in for a few hours to give everyone little fifteen minute massages. It was great. Everyone was so excited about it and I think it was the first time most people had ever really had a massage (or possibly even positive touching experience?) Plus Lincoln got to witness the characters first hand. A real plus. We were having our class potluck. I brought the ingredients for huevos rancheros and we had a little griddle in the room, mimosas, tiramisu, smoothies. We lived it up. Very cute. Its nice for us all to have some down time together, although the six hours was certainly enough and verging on too much. Do you remember Leann? The glassy eye of the goldfish? It turns out wed was her last day. she told Ms V since she didnt pass her practical and was missing a bunch of hours that she was going to go to another school. Apparantly she just didnt feel like she was getting it, and she had been to another school before this one...after she finished her training as a dental hygenist. She didnt tell any of us that she was leaving, didnt say goodbye, and didnt come for personal service day on thursday or to clean the school on friday. In fact, she told Arteaya that she didnt see why she should come and clean up if she wasnt coming back. Sit back and try to imagine what it would be like to have such an atrophied sense of personal responsibility, I cant even imagine being able to have that little follow through, and that little integrity. I guess there is a whole level of not caring what people think about you that I havent even scratched the surface of yet. I have a feeling its more that you only dont care if you think you can avoid ever seeing those people again. I would wonder how she could bear going to these vocational schools over and over agian but I think its like the goldfish; by the time it gets around the bowl, it wonders what life is like on the other side...A previous student named Scarlet who has now spent about two years not finishing the program and is now in Poker dealing school. High, high level of drift. She was clearing out her drawer and noted that she had a few more hours left for next quarter and she said aloud "Oh well, fuckit! I have a man and a kid and a house already, and thats what i wanted so who cares?" Thats verbatim. I almost felt jealous, but shook it off. Fast.
I did Frannie's hair color on Sat night and finally got it that smoky blonde weve been trying for. I had a hard time rinsing the bleach out of her locks for some reason and I still feel a little nervous about it. I did the hair of another woman, Mayuna, who dances with us. It was very cute, cornrows into twists. Here's a situation: So every wednesday I have a lock client. He is just starting his locks so it takes weekly maintainance. Ive been doing this for about two months, and since we passed the "my youre attractive" hurdle that you pretty much have to pass with any man in any situation, things have been cool. Especially since he told his turkish friend that his chances with me were slim (hes 19) so hes stopped coming over and gazing at me as I twist. Anyway, now we have a new issue and its the wackest. For the last two weeks, when i come in and set up the chair, which faces the window, the tv and his stacks of vhs, there have been really obviously placed and super graphic porno dvds directly in my line of vision on the tops of the stacks of regular videos. Both times he has made a nebulous comment, as if to himself, like "oh yeah I have those five day rentals to return." So as to maybe draw my attention to the video area. I have said nothing about it, i dont want to go there with him AT ALL. But I just know its not an accident. I mean men are so concious about porn as to go to great lengths to hide it from their girlfriends, so I know if it was left out like that it must be on purpose. I know he has a girlfriend and he thinks I have a man (its just easier that way, releives the need for an explanation of how on earth i could resist him without some moral obligation to someone else) so I dont know what his desired outcome is. What does he want me to say? Or is it just hot to him that he and I and AZZ FUC*ERS part 23 are in the same room together? Whatever it is, its weird and I think I may have to say something when he calls to book me when I get back from NYC. Something like "Oh, and before I forget, please return the videos BEFORE I get there this time," or " Ill be there at five, please put the porn away by quarter till." Any suggestions?

Fairness II: This just in...

In a rare and striking flash of poetic justice, I came home to find a UPS overnight delivery envelope stuffed into my mailbox. Nestled inside was the tiny manila envelope I have come to know so well, with my lexus of bellevue invoice stapled to the outside and my 86.00 key inside. I suppose it must have fallen out of the giant box that asshole in parts put it into and rattled around the dark underbelly of our parcel shipping system for a couple weeks before being discovered by some well compensated UPS employee who read the invoice and responisbly sent it on to my address. Now I have two extra keys! And I feel much better about paying 43 dollars per key rather than 86. Its the little things, the mini-triumphs. Also, Bo, of ghetto three ring circus noteriety, already has a new dog, a pitt, who is now rarely leashed. live and (dont)learn. Maybe life is fair after all. Case re-opened.I had my first adult eye exam this morning. Id been a little concerned that I wasnt able to focus past my windshield when driving at night (the solution could be as simple as a car wash...)and found myself a little ovewhelmed by lane changes and such things. 20/15. Same as when I was a kid, like 15+ years ago, he last time I remember having my eyes checked. No cute frames for me. Kind of a mixed blessing. I wouldnt let her put the dialating drops in my eyes. Too creepy. So I could still have undetected retinal detachment, or optical nerve damage behind my eye. Ill take my chances, rather than looking like dawn of the dead for two hours with big tweaker pupils.This was our last week of clients and I dont really remember doing anything. I must have because I was there everyday but, was I really THERE? Not really. I remember Ms A on Fri, and another rollerset after her. That one was on a little old white lady who looked amazing for her 89 years. She had nothing but depreciating things to say about her appearance, her face was too skinny, her hair was limp and impossible. She was really quite beautiful. Hope by the time Im 90 I have it worked out to where I feel pretty good about how things are going and dont spend too much time worrying about the amount of body in my hair. I turned in my portfolio and gave a little presentation on it in theory class with ms v on thursday. So did everyone else. It was really nice, to hear everyones vison and purpose statements, to learn a little more about everyone. While I was listening to people's presentations, hearing Camille talk about memories of her father before he died of AIDS, how he held her when she had the flu even though it could have been lethal for him if he caught it, hearing about Tamara's adoptive home in Arizona after her mom gave her up, about Abena looking out the window of her apartment in a run down poverty stricken area of east cleveland seeing the coiffed and beautiful women being turned out by the beauty shop across the street and knowing she belonged where everyone looked so rich and put together. I thought about what I had said and realized that even though I said a lot of things about what I want to do and where I see myself, i dont really tell anyone about me on a personal level. My writing, while pretty good, and certainly technically above most peoples, seemed detached and risk free. Im gonna think about that, and if it carries over to the rest of my life, cause I think it might and that worries me. I made a cute binder out of a cheapo pink three ring from bartells, some teal ribbon and abalone shells. I cant wait to be able to get better photos of my work. they look super amateur.
I am nervous and excited about our practical exams next week. Here is the run down:930 Carrie, full head foil with High Lift Natural and double 40 developer. Drop the packets by 11:15. 11:30 Lindsey, permanent wave. Wrapped and processing by 1230. 12:30 Kathleen, relaxer, based and protecto'ed by 12:50 when I will (hopefully) neutralize and drop lindsey's rods and hand her off to be styled1:00 apply kathleen's relaxer, smooth and finish processing by 1:35 have her rinsed, neutralized and conditioned by 2!
Its a race against time wiht three of the longest chemical processed you can do in 5 hours. Sounds like a freaking reality show. Should be a challenge and I cant WAIT to get it over with. You will of course be notified of the outcome. Late night was cool last week. I got some really special cases to work on, some kids in real need of hair done. Castor oil and a bi-monthly shampoo does not make for a luxurious head of hair. Then Abena and I went out to Mc Gowan's in renton where I drank an Incredible hulk. Its some new breed of drink that looks like antifreeze and tastes like hawaiian punch. Its a new breed because its made by mixing Courvoisier and Hypnotiq. GHETTO!!! Who would mix courvoisier with anything let alone anything that belongs in a blue hawaiian or electric iced tea? Ludacris would, thats who. Lil Jon. Or freaking Chingy. Pimp juice baby!! Ive been listening to some best of Eminem CD in my car, good lord. The lyrics get so punishing when you listen to song after song, with as many kids that identify with him, we are in a world of hurt. Anyway, the drink was pretty good, i am loathed to admit, and Abena and I had a good time hanging out. We get along really well and I think, no I know, I'm her first white friend. Alta el revolucion! She wore a rabbit fur coat and brought me this outrageous pantsuit, brown ultrasuede that she must have bought in a moment of true self deception. One of her breasts wouldnt fit in that shirt, let alone two and the rest of her torso. I only wore the top, not there yet for the two together. Ill leave it for the J.Los of the world. Abena is so beautiful its really rediculous. And has so much vison and motivation, its inspirational. How anyone makes it to school everyday with three kids is TOTALLY beyond me.I had a date last night and got into a collision with several sidecars...fun then, dry brain now. Im gonna go rehydrate. See you next week.

Conclusive Investigation: Fairness, or Dog Day Afternoon

Stephen stayed with me a week. As Erykah Badu says, it was the kind of food that endures. It was so refreshing to be together and know each other so well, it felt like a warm blanket. It made me remember when we lived together in the CD, when I had time to crawl in bed with him on weekend mornings and laugh my ass off at his hilarious stories from the gravity bar, the eagle or the seawolf from the night before. Made me remeber how anytime I was in my room when he got home he'd ask if I was touching myself before he came in. Usually I was vacuuming, talking on the phone, chilling with Fenster or reading some dry text assigned by whatever antisocial borderline sadist NELC professor I had that quarter. Made me remember him scrubbing our obnoxious white tile on his hands and knees in tighty whities as I stumbled downstairs hungover from smoke, 3 am Alibi Room closes and shift drinks strong enough to level a kangaroo. Actually I dont think I worked at the alibi while we lived together...why was I so hungover? Time plays terrible tricks on my already shaky event sequencing. Anyway. I was hungover and he was scrubbing the floor, that much is true. I remembered bewigged photo shoots on his Kawasakahabishi, and riding down rainier on the back, clinging to his leathers and watching the sun set on the way to Fasica for dinner. I went to the Eagle with him this trip. It was hilarious. Such a pickup joint. gay porn projected on the walls a well worn shirt optional policy and nowhere to sit (keep cruisin' sister.) I completely ruined Stephen's game. I was the only grrl (hahaha) in the place and unfortunately cant pass for a post op TS. Cursed be thou hips and feminine naso-cheek formations. When we came down thistle from beacon hill and on to my block after school, there were about six police cars and an animal control van in front of my neighbors house. THe house I lovingly refer to as the Ghetto Three Ring Circus due to its late night floodlighting and men working on cars up on jacks, kids turning cartwheels on the hoods of old beaters, and their dog running around free.I am a little ashamed to say that I assumed they were getting busted for something or other, possibly an illegal pitbull breeding operation? THis only occured to me because of the animal control van. There were so many police cars, I thought maybe a drug bust? These things arent unusual and I wouldnt have been terribly suprised although in retrospect I really had no reason to think anything untoward had been going on over there. A lot of used cars though boy, just sayin'. Bo, the guy who owns the house was shirtless and screaming all kinds of profanity at the officers. I really wanted to hear what he was saying but I couldnt make out any words from my house and I wasnt going to go eavesdrop like the other neighbors were doing, peering through bushes and shit. So I just decided Id probably hear about it later. JoAnn (landlady)called me that night. What happened was this. The popo was responding to a DV call from the Vietnamese folks living down the street. One of the cars parked in front of Bo's house and the officer got out and was walking down the street to the residence in question. As he walked past Bo's, Bo's dog ran out from behind the house towards the officer who immediately shot and killed the dog. Bo's dog was a boxer named Tyson. He was totally non agressive. I both dont like and actively fear dogs, If that dog had been mean I would have said good riddance. I actually dreamt for years of how I could kill the chow that lived down the street from me on 21st and barked in such a scary cujo way that he shaved years off my life during the time that I had to walk that street. And I would have done it too, killed the dog. I know I would have. I HATED that dog. Bo's dog should have been leashed, usually was leashed, but even loose was a totally unthreatening animal. Whats more he was many feet away. the dog died on the lawn and the shell from the cops gun was on the street. So sad. So wrong!! Dont police have some kind of training for things like that?? In leiu of training, dont they have tasers or something non lethal?? Plus he shot directly at the house, there are kids that always play in the yard, they could very easily have been in the dogs close pursuit. Its a shame. If the fuzz had shot and killed a golden retreiver in laurelhurst there would be some kind of formal policy revision and probably a public apology. Thats all the time we have today. I know it wasnt beautiful, but sometimes life takes precedence. Ill do a beauty updated tomorrow. Have a fab Sat night.