Hair for a Cause

It's difficult to keep a style when my stylist lives 10 hours away.  It's not like I can make an appointment every 6 weeks.  It takes planning, and a haircut costs me a plane ticket.  I'm pretty particular about my hair, which is extremely odd because I don't do my hair.  I'm pretty satisfied waking up and pulling it all into a pony tail.  There is no fuss, no product, no hassle.  Honestly, anything would look better, but I really only like it when my sister cuts it.  Maybe it's because she knows what I want, or perhaps she is just good at what she does, but it always rocks.  Replicating her handiwork hasn't happened yet.  So I wait.  I let my hair grow, and grow, and grow until I can finally make the 10 hour drive (or flight) to get on her books.  This is the longest I have gone in between cuts. 

My hair was so long "it" was actually a candidate for Locks of Love.  My values align with their mission and I've always wanted to donate my hair for a good cause, I've just never had the patience to wait that long and then cut that much off.  Timing is everything. 

The donation process was easy.  Sarah wrapped up the hair for me.  I downloaded the form, filled it out, stuck everything in an envelope and dropped it in the mail.  It makes me smile knowing a kiddo will feel normal by simply mailing in my hair. 

The bonus; I love my new style.  I almost feel a little sassy.  Sarah also colored it, which covers up the gray that was starting to sprout.  Can you tell?  I'm a little unsure about committing to coloring my hair, so she went easy on me and did a semi-permanent color.  I did promise that I would keep it up; The cut and the color.  I don't want to look 12 and/or frumpy any longer.   Qué será.

Any major style changes on the horizon for you?

Road Trip: View From The Drivers Seat

I traveled back to Nebraska last weekend for my 10 year class reunion from Nebraska Wesleyan.  When I first moved to Texas I was flat broke and spent a lot of time on the road when heading back to Nebraska because I couldn't afford to fly.  I would get in the car, jam to tunes in the tape player, dream up a lot of good stuff, and drive straight through.  Times have changed and I can now afford to fly, but something compelled me to get back in the car just like old times and get things figured out. 

This time around I was able to meander, and I stumbled upon Lindsborg, Kansas, and took the time to drive through Concordia.  Not sure why Kansas was my state to explore, but I'm guessing it's because I've had such a disdain for the plain state since growing up a boundary line to the north.  Either way, I was enchanted by these two towns, and on another whimsy could certainly see myself there.  Amidst the exploring, the cruise control was set, music pumped through the ipod and I was able, for the first time in a long while, to hear myself think.  The only problem was it was really hard to take notes when driving.    

The most appealing thing about driving anywhere in the country is that you truly get to see the state of the economy.  A profusion of wildfire scars blanketed a large part of Oklahoma.  Every other truck I saw was loaded with hay.  There is a major drought in the south and the ranchers have exhausted their hay resources.  It's now being shipped in from the north.  I saw an abundance of hitchhikers.  I couldn't help but wonder if it was the economy or just people out wandering the country.  In the north, the farmers have seen a lot of rain.  They were in the fields, presumably thanking the rain for the abundant harvest, but maybe secretly hoping it wasn't too much.  More mom and pop shops were closed while corporations that can undercut prices have popped up in their place.  Oil wells, and natural gas lines are scattered across the landscape as we as a country try to find more resources at home.  A lot can be seen from the view of the drivers seat.   

It was a great trip, full of nostalgia.  More thoughts on the 10 year reunion to come.  All the photos above were taken from the drivers seat.  To see a bigger view with an explanation of each one, visit my flickr page. 

Weekend Thought

This thought has been on my mind a lot lately.  It's so easy to allow negative thoughts and behaviors into our lives when stop paying attention.

I'm traveling this weekend and I hope to be blogging from the road.  I hope you have something enjoyable planned for your first official weekend of fall. 

Mood Board: Greens

Green may be my fall color this year, inspired by the gardens that are coming around since the heat has subsided.  Emeralds, mint, and teal feel very refreshing after a long, hot summer.  I cut and paste some favorite greens in my journal the other day.

What colors are you drawn to for the upcoming fall?