Saturday, July 3, 2010

Springing back

I'm getting my hair cut tomorrow!

Really exciting news, eh?

Well, it is to me! I haven't had a hair cut for months, because I just haven't had the time. Literally every weekend since the beginning of the Olympics has been jammed; I've been double or even triple booked almost every day of every weekend, and plenty of weekday evenings too.

It sounds incredibly whiny to complain (and I do apologise for said complaining), because it's all been really fun stuff and it's been a privilege to experience it. I loved the Olympics, I loved having my friends and then my parents here (for a total of seven weeks in just over two months). I even enjoyed most of my training for the Vancouver-Seattle ride; I just seriously underestimated how much of my time it would take up, especially in combination with hosting visitors. I've had to turn down lots of invitations to fun events this year, and I feel like I've neglected many of my friends.

I've also neglected myself. I find that I need some down-time at least every second weekend; time spent just hanging out, either by myself or with just Mr E Man. Time spent reading, writing, playing my guitar, playing card and board games with Mr E Man, or online Monopoly when I'm feeling really burned out - that kind of thing. But I haven't had any real down-time for such a long time (hosting jet-lagged UK visitors eliminates even my early morning pre-work pseudodown-time), and I've been feeling it, both mentally and physically. In fact I've been feeling much the same way my hair looks - as it gets longer, its own weight starts to pull the curls out of it, and when it's not being limp and flat it gets fuzzy and annoying instead.

Last weekend, I had my first real down-time in months. It was heaven. I didn't do ANYthing (except watch football) on Saturday, then on Sunday I actually had the time to go clothes shopping to replace the literally falling-apart clothes I've been walking around in. I just got some jeans and capris and t-shirts, but it's so nice to have more than three outfits composed of intact items of clothing again!

I've also started to be able to plan things again. Things that are selfishly all about ME ME ME (well, and Mr E Man too. But mostly ME). Last weekend I bought tickets for a music festival on Vancouver Island, and booked a week off work for a kayaking trip (destination TBD). I also signed up for the MS Society 60 km bike ride, a really fun event that I did a couple of years ago - 60km is a piece of cake now, and I could afford to cover the minimum donation amount myself without having to bug any of my friends. I feel like I've got my life back, and the summer can finally begin!

And tomorrow I get to break free from the last of the dead weight! My curls will spring back - and hopefully, so will I!

7 comments:

  1. Sorry Cath, I am going to ask a silly question: how often do you normally get you hair cut? (I know your blog is not specifically designed for household- & beauty questions, but since you bring it up yourself ...)
    I usually aim for twice a year, and last time the girl who cut my hair was seriously appalled because it had been over 6 months. But but but ... ??? As long as I wash it more often than that, things should be fine, right? It looked ok to me.
    (as you know I have totally different hair from yours (curls? what are those?), so maybe we shouldn't even compare, but what do I know about such things)

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  2. About once every three months or so - and it's now been more like six months! And my hair grows really quickly...

    If it's too short, the curls spring out sideways instead of hanging down, and if it's too long, the weight pulls the curls out and it goes all straight and limp! So I need to keep it within its optimum curling length range...

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  3. Hee hee!

    Mr E Man, just now: "what are you doing?"

    Me: "answering blog comments"

    Him: "what are you blogging about?"

    Me: "getting my hair cut"

    Him: "cutting edge science communication then?"

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  4. Oooh...I'd love to see before & after shots. I haven't gotten my hair cut in months. But, it was pretty short the last time I got it done, so it's still barely shoulder length right now. I'd like it long enough to put into a pony tail once Baby G arrives.

    I'm so impressed that you can be so busy for so long. If I have an engagement for one part of the weekend, I have to make sure the rest of the weekend is totally free for me to recharge, or I just feel totally worn out.

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  5. It's really unusual for me to be this busy - if I have a full calendar one weekend, I normally try to have at least half a day of down-time the next weekend! It's so nice to get back into that pattern!

    I got Mr E Man to take a before shot, but I didn't get an after shot yesterday because my hair was all gunked up with all the products that hairdressers always insist on putting in it. It feels a bit more normal today - maybe a tad on the short side but it'll grow back into its optimal range within a couple of weeks!

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  6. Wow, that is busy! I don't know how you could keep it up for so long.

    I really need lots of downtime too. I like that you said you play online Monopoly when you're feeling especially burned out, because I zone out with bubble shooter for hours when I'm frazzled. It's embarrassing, but it works wonders!

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  7. No need to be embarrassed! Sometimes it's good to do something that disconnects the thinking part of your brain!

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