Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

I have big news. See, when I’m stressed or anxious or generally going through big stuff in my life, I take it out on my hair. Or rather, I use my hair to get out all the crazy urges I have to do something drastic (well, usually). So today, I went to a salon, and showed the man a picture.

“This,” I said, “is what I want.”

“Are you sure?” he asked. “All the way up to here?”

“Yep,” I answered. “I’m going for a big change.”

“It certainly will be a big change…” he mumbled, as he grabbed a razor and started hacking.

And now? Now, my hair is shorter than it has been since I was about two years old. And I LOVE it. Absolutely adore it! One of the other hairdressers came over at one point and said, “That’s adorable! It’s such a great cut!” Another customer, having just been shampooed, waiting for her stylist to cut her hair, said, “Oh my goodness – it frames your face so well! You look like a model!” And my sister, when I came out, said, “Wow, you look like a New Yorker – very cosmopolitan.” As for me, all afternoon I’ve felt cute, and bouncy, and fun, and attractive, and it’s been a very long time since I felt any of those things. It’s amazing how big a difference one little haircut can make in how I feel about myself.

Are you ready to see it?

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I mean really ready?

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Really really?

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You’re sure?

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Okay, here you go:

[I had to cover my face – you know, preserving anonymity and all. But if anyone wants a regular picture, feel free to email me and I’ll send you one.]

And a picture of the back, too:

So yeah, big, HUGE change. But I am soooo in love with my haircut! After Aly’s most recent post, I feel very blessed to have come out so happy. :)

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In other news, thanks for your thoughts on what I should call comments. I did end up going with Sassy’s suggestion of “Hands Raised.” However, I was somewhat ambitious in my plans. What I wanted was to have it say “Raise Your Hand!” when there were zero comments, “1 Hand Raised” when there was one comment, and “N Hands Raised” when there were N comments (where N > 1). Makes sense, right? Should have been possible, right?

Wrong.

Tpiglette and Baleeted worked hard to help me, and they did a great job, but Blogger was not so cooperative. Here are the subject lines from the sequence of emails in my inbox from last night while we worked on this, complete with commentary:

  • 10:14pm – “script to insert in your template” – The initial attempt, based on a successful script implemented in Tpiggy’s blog. It makes the comments disappear completely.
  • 10:26pm – “try this…” – The second attempt. Comments are still gone.
  • 10:35pm – “try #3” – The third attempt. Comments are still gone.
  • 10:41pm – “the Test ;)” – Baleeted decides to test the script, just to see if it’s working at all. It is.
  • 10:53pm – “the Test #2” – A second test, this time to check if *any* links will work. They will not.
  • 11:00pm – “the Test #3” – The third test, slightly different than Test #2, but still checking if links will work. This time they do.
  • 11:03pm – “try #4!” – Notice the exclamation point here. We are all highly encouraged by Test #3’s success, and are sure we’ll be done here. Comments disappear again.
  • 11:06pm – “try #5…” – Notice the ellipsis. We’ve become suspicious again. Comments are still gone.
  • 11:11pm – “back to the Test #4” – We return to testing, to try and find where it’s breaking down. This yields no information whatsoever.
  • 11:14pm – “where’d the comments go!?” – Sassy Student, with a poorly timed visit, finds herself unable to comment, as the comment links have all completely disappeared. I reassure her that they will be back… eventually…
  • 11:15pm – “the Test #5” – Still testing. We still know nothing.
  • 11:21pm – “try #6…” – Based on a sudden inspiration, we return to trying, instead of testing, but notice that we’re suspicious again. This try fails utterly.
  • 11:28pm – “the Test #6 :-P” – Funny face means we’re getting slightly frustrated at this whole fiasco. I tell Tpiggy, “It’s like a mystery game!” She responds that it’s more like “reverse Jenga.” I claim that’s better than drunken Jenga, and she agrees.
  • 11:34pm – “the Test #7” – This one works again. Hooray!
  • 11:48pm – “the Test #8” – This one breaks it again. Boo!
  • 11:50pm – “the Test #9” – Nope, still not working. [Are you bored yet? Imagine doing this in real time…]
  • 12:38am – “try this?” – Baleeted, after creating his own Blogger account solely for the purpose of testing things out, comes up with a code that has worked for him. However, he established this code by building it and testing it piece by piece (hence the time delay). Handing me the final version doesn’t work.
  • 12:48am – “piece #1” – Tpiggy and I decide to build it piece by piece too, in the hopes that we can recreate Baleeted’s success. This first piece, however, doesn’t work.
  • 12:52am – “piece #1, improved” – Tpiggy had made a typo, so she sends a new version. It still doesn’t work.
  • 12:53am – “piece #1, yet again (because I’m stupid)” – Tpiggy had made yet another typo, so she sends a new version. This one works.
  • 12:56am – “piece #2” – It also works. This is getting exciting…
  • 1:01am – “piece #3” – Also works. We’re getting close! The giddiness gets Tpiggy to include the phrase “Lara rocks!” as part of the (temporary) script.
  • 1:04am – “piece #4” – Still working, still including “Lara rocks!” Could this be it? Have we solved the mystery???
  • 1:08am – “piece #5…” – Notice we’re back to the ellipsis? That’s because Tpiggy knows this is the one that might break it. We wait anxiously only to find out… that it breaks it. Comments disappear, as does “Lara rocks!” We all heave a sigh of disappointment.
  • 1:13am – “temporary piece #6 ;)” – Returning to what worked in piece #4, Tpiggy sends me a humorous version to use until we can figure it out. It, however, also doesn’t work. We are all baffled as to why. Consensus is that Blogger is drunk and/or mentally incapacitated.
  • 1:20am – I give up and use “Hands Raised” for all three (zero, one, and more than one).
  • 1:28am – After Tpiggy and I commiserate for a while longer, I finally head to bed.

Doesn’t that sound exciting? Don’t you wish you could have been a part of it too? Well, at least we’ve changed from “comments” to something with a bit more flavor. Thanks to Tpiggy and Baleeted for all their (attempted) help!

** Update: Graham fixed it! Thanks, Graham! I have no idea what you did, but thanks! It works now! :)

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Day 20 of LaBloShoeMo: The Cream Mary Janes

The last of the cream-themed shoes I so recently bought. These have a super comfy rubber sole, and a soft linen lining (the bit of pink you see there). Yet at the same time, they’re feminine and classy, so they will make great teaching shoes. Also, what do I love about them? All together now: “They don’t make Lara too tall.” Yep, that’s it exactly.

17 comments:

tpiglette said...

Hahahahaha...oh man. That'll rank right up there with "How'd you get the churro to sign its name?" in our history book. ;) Darn Blogger. Possessed, I tell you!

Anonymous said...

Wow! I LOVE your haircut, the back is just gorgeous.

I should re-word mine, because mine is definitely not short compared to that style, but is shortER than I wanted. Much shorter.

Am glad your comments bit is finally working, the simple things are always the fussiest to change.

And love the shoes. Phew!

Anonymous said...

Eek! So cute!! I love the haircut - can you send me a real picture, since I already know who you are anyway? =)

Also, I will now have "ch-ch-ch-ch-changes..." stuck in my head all day. Good work =P.

Dallas Blue said...

holy SMOKES! you chopped! i love!

cuuuute shoes. good teaching shoes. good job!

Tandava said...

Nice! I remember when I first cut off all my hair. The lady actually laughed out loud. Worked in the end, though. :-)

As for the comment thing, that should totally be possible to do. You aren't even on the new layouts system yet, right? (That would make it trickier.) I can take a look at it, if you like.

Tandava said...

Actually, now that I think about it some more, it might really be easier in Layouts. Either way, though, it can work.

Teacher Anonymous said...

Love the haircut! I also tend to take my nervousness (or boredom) out on my hair, with mixed results.

Anonymous said...

you are seriously brave! but it looks great!

Anonymous said...

a) I love the hair! I have been trying to grow mine out for a couple of years, but I get the urge to cut it off every so often -- especially when I see great cuts like yours. Fabulous!

b) I love the shoes! I am in awe of the amount of shoes you have, especially after reading over at Aly's that you've got more shoes than December has days. Sister, that's nuts. But! Am still in love with the cream shoes. I wish I had more clothing to wear with cream shoes. Alas, I am boring, and tend to stick with plain black.

c) I've been meaning to comment for awhile about the Hooters thing. When I was recently in Vegas, we drove by the Hooters casino. Now, despite the fact that I was with a group of Marines who spent the long weekend ogling every female specimen in sight (even the ones on the little cards that the men hand out on the street), every single one of them refused to go there. One of them muttered something about how it was "sleazy." He was drunk, so I didn't believe him, but after reading your account? Dude. Am SO glad we didn't go, despite my love for Hooters.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, short hair! Very cute.

Lara said...

tpiglette - no, not possessed. drunk. i'm sure of it.

aly - thanks! yeah, yours is not at all short compared to mine, but i can understand the "shorter than i wanted" sadness. and i'm glad the comments work now, too! :)

tali - picture has been sent, and i'm glad you like it. and yeah, i had the song stuck in my head all day too. but then i started singing "more than a feeling," and traded the songs. :-P if only i knew more of the words...

sassy - yep, chopped it all off. i love it too. :) and yes, GREAT teacher shoes.

graham - yes, i remember when you cut off all your hair too. it was a BIG deal! and THANK YOU again for fixing the comments stuff! you're the greatest super blogger comment stuffer guy (according to my mom) EVER!

teacher anonymous - i've never really been *unhappy* with any of the changes i've made out of a desire to have a big change. the closest i came was when i wanted to get blond highlights and the guy pretty much made me entirely blond. it just wasn't a good look for me.

ali - i'm not sure it was bravery really. i knew if i hated it it would grow back. and i knew i was going to a really good stylist, which always makes things easier. brave would have been doing this at supercuts. :-P

teacher jane - yeah, i had been planning to let mine grow out for the wedding, but obviously, there was no need to do that anymore. as for the shoes, i just love shoes. i have tons of black shoes, also, and everytime i go shoe shopping, i want to buy more. but then i realize there are really only so many black shoes i really need, and i usually hold myself back. it's getting tough, though. regarding hooters? definitely stick to the restaurants - they're "delightfully tacky." the hotel? "sleazy" is the perfect word for it.

xochitl the xoloitzcuintli - um, i have no idea what this is. you're starting to perplex me. seriously. but thanks! i'm glad you like it.

WHO ARE YOU? seriously, i'll pay you money. i'll treat you to lunch. just tell me! email me! something!

Anonymous said...

The form I assume suits your post or, in this case, your response. It's sort of a riddle to be solved.

Lara said...

nereus - unfortunately, solving the riddle of your particular form doesn't help me solve the riddle of who you actually are. i have precious few hints to go off, so you could still be any number of people. i have, however, figured out most of your reasoning for choosing particular animals. including your most recent one. i put to you this quote, though, about nereus:

"But Pontos, the great sea, was father of truthful Nereus who tells no lies, eldest of his sons. They call him the Old Gentleman because he is trustworthy, and gentle, and never forgetful of what is right, but the thoughts of his mind are mild and righteous."

so you're supposed to be truthful! never forgetful of what is right! who ARE you?!?!

i'm simultaneously filled with admiration for you and frustrated beyond belief. :-P

Anonymous said...

Squeak.

Lara said...

mous - HA! okay, i thought it might be you, but you know what threw me off? (you can hate me after this if you want.) you were saying so little! you used to be so verbose!

but actually, i'm glad this came up, because to be totally honest, i was planning to email you in the next couple of days anyway, just to find out where you'd gone. i'd been missing your participation around here. i'm glad you're back! (well, i guess you've been back for quite some time, i just wasn't sure it was you. but still, glad you're still around. :) )

Anonymous said...

Re: verbosity. I suppose I've had much to say lately but I've held my tongue. My friend Hugh already saddled your blog with a discourse on consumerism. Celia fainted Victorianly at the mention of Las Vegas; otherwise, your readers would have had to bear a stiff tongue lashing on resources (one can only imagine the tongue-lashing I can deliver). But your blog is not necessarily the place for my fuzzy, slimy, and floral colleagues and I to hold a summit on saving the world.

fourthbreakfast said...

I can't wait to see your haircut in person. Looks cute!