dianaschnuth

Sheryl came to my rescue at work today, suggesting a slight side part and a few other serving suggestions (headband with wispies, teeny hair clips).

Of the people who saw my new ‘do, about half told me how much they liked it. I’m assuming the other half were practicing the “if you can’t say anything nice” school of thought. Either that, or they’re trying to figure out if this is what my hair always looked like.

I’m starting to get more used to it. Like I told Sheryl, I wouldn’t have tried anything like this of my own accord, but I suppose it’s good to try something new — even if just to decide I don’t want to do it again. And, after all, it’s just hair. It’ll grow back.

You get what you pay for. Go to Great Clips for a $6.99 haircut, and that’s exactly what you’ll get.

As for me, I got a stylist who heard me say, “I’m not quite used to the short hair yet,” saw me visually and verbally describe the cut I wanted, then proceeded to give me a MUCH shorter cut. To her credit, she did apologize for making it so short, after she said that it had turned out shorter than she’d thought.

What? You have the scissors, lady! My hairstyle is completely under your control! WTF.

So, now I’m stuck with a VERY short haircut that I didn’t ask for, but that I now have to deal with for several months until it grows out. One thing is for certain: I am NEVER going back to Great Clips.

I bought this skirt at the mall last week. Afterward, I purchased some socks online — these are technically over-the-knee socks, but my still-oversized thighs forced the socks into submission as Harajuku-style scrunch socks. I finally located a black turtleneck sweater in the back of the closet to complete the outfit, and voila! Cuteness.

While shopping, I made the mistake of picking things up, saying, “But where would I wear this?” and putting them back. I almost said that with this skirt, but it was just too damned cute. It wasn’t until later that I recalled a favorite sentiment from those evil What Not To Wear hosts: Do you need an excuse to look fashionable? Freaking wear it to the grocery store! Who cares?

Really, though: 80% of my wardrobe is casual clothes that I wear less than 30% of the time — that is to say, on the weekend. Sheryl thinks I could totally wear this outfit to work (with nylons instead of socks), but I’m kind of hesitant. I’d feel less professional and more cute, and I’m not sure how that would work out. Maybe, though. We’ll see.

P.S. – For yet another startling photo comparison of my new weight versus the old, check out the original “Cute Skirtness” entry from March 2005.

Did 30 minutes of Wii Fit this evening, along with a little bit of housework. Currently working on the Zen podcast. Planning to go to Zen meditation tomorrow evening. Life is getting back into its normal, non-depressed groove.

I’ve decided that the best way to go from here, assuming my mood doesn’t continue to improve, is the Fake It Till You Make It approach. Keep busy, keep upbeat, don’t make it obvious that I have a shitty self-image, and eventually my brain will fall into line.

Wednesday evening is Zen. Thursday evening will involve doing yoga and cleaning my desk. Friday evening will be more Wii Fit and probably continuing to clean my desk. (I’ve noticed I do feel more positive and productive if my work area is clean and tidy.) The weekend will be the weekend, and on Monday, I will begin my blog migration / redesign in earnest. I may even move it and make it live before the design is completely done, just because I’m so looking forward to a new design and a decrufted installation of MT.

Keeping busy, but not TOO busy. Leaving time to pamper myself. Sit zazen. Tweeze my eyebrows. That sort of thing.

I’ll be fine. Thanks for thinking of me. 😀

Apart from a few minor issues that I need to finish addressing, my freelance gig is complete. The site is done, the client knows how to update it, and I’ve been paid for my work. Now the trick is to get Chelsea Tipton‘s website to come up first in the Google rankings for a search on his name, instead of being stuck on the second page of results.

Now that I have one project in the bag (or I will very shortly), I can contemplate my next project: moving and redesigning my blog.

And after that’s done, I have a laundry list of projects that will literally never end. Not until I’m dead.

Minor things like editing home videos and outputting them to DVD. Major things like finishing a novel or two. Mundane things like getting my fucking desk clean once and for all. Pragmatic things like updating my resume and portfolio. Creative things like songwriting, or photography, or scrapbooking. Oh, Lordy, the scrapbooking. I haven’t even finished scrapbooking our honeymoon, and we celebrated our 5th anniversary this past May.

Whenever I hear someone say they need a hobby, I want to invite them to have one of mine. I have more than I’ll ever use up.