Infrequent Activities ~ hair cuts for Locks of Love and handling jump ropes

I came home, threw most of my hair on the porch and took a photo of this Dancing Lady before going inside our two studio row.

All in all I would guess my hair was shortened by 15 inches. It's still long.

So there I was helping out at our track and field and fun day, counting how many successful jumps were being made over the jump rope in my hand (60 was tops) when I realized I handled jump ropes infrequently, but more frequently than getting my haircut.

Four haircuts in 14 years since I first began to grow my hair out. I miss it. I love the easier showers.

 

uncertainty

It was nearly four years ago, I came home from a haircut and took a shower. It was so easy to wash my hair that I was quite sure that I would not grow my hair out again.

Today I came home with a sour cherry pie, a loaf of bread and in a separate bag...

Thursday night I picked up a book and read an essay about autism. I knew, as I turned the reading lamp off, that I would be looking up a video. What I didn't know was that there is some major doubt about the story and I gave it 15 minutes of research and came out of it with uncertainty.

Friday night I was quite certain I was going to donate my hair to Locks Of Love and mentioned it on Facebook. This morning I woke up with one friend's concern about the charity. Turns out they are not perfect, but who is? But the thing is, my hair came home with me so I could spend time researching the "best" place to send my hair, or I can look up the address of Locks of Love.

For now, I am certain that I have the flexibility and the spatial skills to reach behind my head to take a photo of the hair that remains... style is due to my cousin, who cut my hair, and humidity.

and, I am not sure if my hair will ever be so long again, or if God exists, or if I will be kind to strangers, or if I will be as foolish as I was last night when I stuck my hand into some sheets of stained glass until the pain drew my hand back out.

I am sure that I am grateful for bandages, anti-bacteria ointment, and the love of a good woman who digs my hair.

Oh yeah... that book. I left it at home. So I am going to rise early and go bird watching tomorrow then drop it off at the book bin. Life can be uncertain which is why I just may never use a daily planner or maybe it is why I may start using one.

???

and then there is this classic rock tune that came on as I drove home today...

"well you walk into a restaurant..."

HAIR!

It has been 11 years since I said to Mosaic Woman that I would not cut my hair till the end of summer... it has been cut twice since then.

A few months ago I announced on Facebook that I planned to get my haircut and buy new socks over winter break... I guess that sometimes I need to write my plans down....

October, 2008:

Saturday night we were celebrating the 50th anniversary of my aunt and uncle, whose house I vacationed at each summer. I remember playing amazing whiffle ball games with my cousin and eating waffles and sausage for dinner one of the nights. His younger sister, grew up to run a beauty salon.

After the meal, she asked me if I ever donated my hair to locks of love... before the calendar page flips to June, I will make my third donation. The appointment has been made.

... who knows, maybe I will buy some socks soon.

thoughts on hair

Yesterday in the ed office I announce, "The stars are aligning. I may be nearing a hair cut."



I've had two in the past 9.5 years. That photo was taken this past Sunday.

It has not always been long and it matches my time teaching horticulture.

before we moved to Lansdale I walked to a barber and paid minimum wage rates and the jobs were done better than what I ended up paying here in Lansdale.

My students assume I do drugs. I tell them, "not since my hair was short." They shake their heads.

I say to Mosaic Woman, "I am not going to get a hair cut this summer." Years later I donate 10 inches to Locks of Love. If you don't have hair, I am sure they are willing to take cash. They do good work.

Years later another ten inches are donated. I say, "I doubt if I will grow it out again." I was wrong. It is longer than ever before.

This summer those good folk in the ed office and my ex-supervisor ponder out loud... "Why have such long hair if it is always braided?" Hmmm. "I say you will see it soon, when my wife is out of town." I don't like the knots that form.

A friend from church recently asked if she would ever see it unbraided. I say, "Maybe." Later I realize that when I get back from the Walking With God retreat, my hair will be loose and I can get to the meeting at church. She sees my hair.

How much water is wasted in taking longer showers?

A good friend in the ed office says, "Consider cutting it short." I say, "Hmmm." Maybe if we have a drought.

At Walking with God a woman approaches me and asks about how long my hair has been free to grow. She cuts hair. The next day I ask her where she works. Kutztown is a distance from Lansdale. I say, "well, if I only get it cut once every so many years...." In silence at the Jesuit Center that conversation would not have happened, except the first dinner and the last breakfast when we eat in noisiness. I envision a spiritual haircut. The stars begin to align.

In the ed office they say, "the stars?" I say, "Well I was headed out to the gym last night so when I locked myself out, I had nothing better to do than stare at the full moon and such till my wife got home." They continue to shake their heads at my goofiness.

I have said on many occasions, "If I cut it short, I will not grow it out again." A staff ID showing the stage when it was not quite long enough to pull back reminds me why. But I have incorrectly predicted the future before.

I like my hair.

Mosaic Woman braids my hair every morning and then lets it flop with gravity. I claim serious spinal cord damage. She also reacts to my goofiness. Then she dries her hands on my clothing. My life is hard.

I can't remember when exactly those two hair cuts took place. My memory is not as amazing as my hair.

I used to be self conscious about my long hair. Now it is a part of me. I have thus considered getting it cut short. It won't happen. For now.