Saturday, August 23, 2008

"[To dye] While the Sun Shines"

When it comes to boredom, I believe everyone is unique in how they deal with it. When I am bored, I try and think of something I can change. Some examples include moving furniture around in my room. Many times, I will clean, do yard work, read (but that usually delays boredom for a few hours...depending on how good the book is), and so forth. Recently, I attempted to change my hair color. I was confident there would be no problems because I had been successful in the past. Just a few months ago, my friend dyed my hair a darker color (dark brown with some red in it). It went well. However, over the last couple of months, the color faded and, I thought, was gone.

I decided to go blond (not bleached, just blond) and I found the right color. I put it in my hair and left it in for an hour. After washing out the chemical, I realized I was in some trouble. My hair had turned orange and had some dark brown highlights (areas I must have missed...I was sure I put the chemical all over). Well, I did not want orange hair, so i decided that bleached hair would be better than orange hair, so I bleached my hair again (that was twice in the same day). While my hair did not go white (it was a lighter orange...almost golden color. It reminded me of the way I pictured the young Gellert Grindelwald), it was at least still attached to my head (as opposed to falling out, which was possible because I bleached it twice that day).

Well, I figured before I did anything else to ruin my hair, I'd wait a few days and try and ask someone who knew what they were doing. I went to my parents house for a couple of days and my mom knew a professional hair colorer and made an appointment for me. When I went, the lady asked me what I had done and I told her everything. Between her bits of laughter, she told me she was surprised for a couple reasons. First of all, that my hair was not whiter and, second, that my hair was still there. She told me that the most likely reason for what happened with the hair color was the previous dye job a couple months ago, when I died it a darker brown (with red tints). Luckily, she was able to work her magic and turn my hair back to a normal-looking color.

In short, I learned a valuable lesson. What was supposed to be a cheap ($8.00) and quick (2 hours) alternative to boredom ended up being a $45 4-day alternative to boredom. I have now learned my lesson and can guarantee that the only change my hair color will experience from here on out will be the result of growth and, hopefully in the very-distant future, graying. Whatever the change, it will be natural!

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Here I Am

Well, as opposed as I am to blogs...I've decided to make one (and I don't even know why). Before I do anything else on this blog, I must warn you that I am not witty and will probably have nothing worthwhile to say about anything important. I guess this will just be an update of a day in the life of yours truly :)!

Having given the warning, here goes nothing. I am anxiously awaiting the end of April 2009 when I will be done indefinitely with schooling. I may go back for a doctorate, but that will only be after 25 years and probably a very serious head injury (it's going to take a lot to forget the wonderful experiences of teachers who think their class is the only one you've signed up for, the late nights trying to study for an ambiguous test, and trying to figure out the answer a teacher wants you to give instead of other possibilities, etc...oh, the joys of school). I did just finish my summer internship that falls into my list of the three hardest things I've done in my life (next to an LDS mission and dating...I haven't experienced marriage yet, which I'm sure will make the list of the top four hardest things I've done in life). Notwithstanding how difficult the internship was, I learned a great deal about the social work field.

I am now about to start my last year of the Masters of Social Work program and am excited (and nervous) for the mysteries and surprises (as well as experiences) that await. No doubt I will keep you updated.

Quotes

"[Confucius] taught that the country which develops the finest music, the grandest poetry, and the noblest moral ideals--that is, the country with the most exalted culture--will always yield the greatest power in the world."

-Letters from the Jade Dragon Box by Gale Sears



"Who is such a reprobate as I! And yet it seems that even I am in Somebody's hand!'

-Mr. Henchard in The Mayor of Casterbridge



"...[T]he magnitude of [life] is not as to [one's] external displacements, but as to [one's] subjective experiences."

-Thomas Hardy in Tess of the d'Urbervilles





"...I have a new love for that glittering instrument, the human soul. It is a lovely and unique thing in the universe. It is always attacked and never destroyed--because 'Thou mayest.'"

-Lee in East of Eden