Monday, October 31, 2011

A before and after story

There was a woman in the school district where I grew up who subbed in my classes occasionally, Mrs. Hocking-Grant.  She had crazy long hair.  Like past her bum.  She often wore it in a long braid down her back that swished and flicked and made me think of a horse's tail when she walked up and down the rows of desks.  Sometimes she wore it down and when she'd bend over to help a student at their desk a curtain of thick blonde hair would swing to one side and fall in rippling waves over her shoulder till it was almost touching the floor.  My 13 year old self found it repellant, gross even, that a grown woman could have hair that long.  In the 90's long hair hair was the providence of the young.  (And to 13, 30 is positively decrepit.)  None of the adult women I knew had hair past their shoulders, nevermind past their bum.  Adding to my disgust was the fact the last few feet of her hair was completely dead and hung in lifeless, uneven, wispy scraggles.  Even now I shudder remembering the look of those multiple feet of dead hair.  Whenever she was in my class I alternated between watching her hair in fascination and watching it in a sort of sick horror.  I remember being especially afraid that it would touch me as she walked by.

What does this have to do with anything?  Well about a month ago I blow-dried my hair for the first time since before last summer.  

I opened my little compact mirror and turned so I could see the back of my head to make sure it had all been blown in the same direction.  My stomach turned in revulsion.  All I could think was "Mrs. Hocking-Grant! Mrs. Hocking-Grant! Mrs. Hocking-Grant!" I had no idea my hair had gotten that long at the back.  I'd never looked!  It literally grossed me out.


So last Thursday night I cut it.


And I don't miss it at all!


14 comments:

  1. OK! Well first of all before I read the words...I was thinking I love her hair!!! THEN the after photo...good mercy! HOT, sista HOT!

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  2. Oh. My. Word!!!!!!!

    That looks amazing!!

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  3. Wow Love it! Although You are a gorgeous woman,no matter how your hair is. Enjoy the change....

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  4. How great!!! And I remember that teacher, I had her in Chandler Park. Not as a sub though- as a full time teacher!

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  5. Oh man!!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE. This picture reminds me of the one you have with Hugh. And I am pretty sure I saw that picture last close to our front door on one of the bottom shelves. I always admire that photo of you and how pretty you look in it.... Now it just reminds me if it all over again..... An I say.... How beautiful is my friend Heather!!!
    XOXOXOXOXOXOXO

    GORGEOUS
    Ps. I do still love your long hair

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  6. Good golly Miss Molly!!! You are such a brave soul! Of course you look fabulous with your your hair any which way....but what a bold move! Bet your head feels a lot lighter!!!

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  7. Goooooorrrrrrgggeeeeoooooouuusssss!

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  8. Wow you're right! That was getting outta control at the back! haha. LOVE the new hair Heather. It looks great! So healthy and fresh =)

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  9. Thanks for the love everyone! It means so much to me to check in and see all your names beside messages you took the time to post to me. I appreciate you so much!

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  10. Heather, your new cut looks great. You could always rock a short do.
    Seeing you just further confirms my urge to chop my hair off too. ;)
    p.s do you find yourself scraping shampoo BACK into your bottle? :)

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  11. Thanks Simone! I actually found it was my conditioner that I overdid. It took forever to rinse out!

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  12. Heather! Short hair looks fantastic on you! Holy cheekbones!

    You know who you remind me of now? The blonde girl from Glee, now that she has also cut her hair.

    Ok, I had to go look it up...you look like a sophisticated Quinn!

    Gorgeous :)

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  13. It has now officially become ridiculous how many times I have been here to see if there's something new... and there isn't... I need you to write more... I miss you're writing.... You're amazing... and beautiful... and SUCH a good writer.

    Get the hint?

    ;)

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