Mom...

If my Mom took better care of herself physically and mentally, I think she would have been here to celebrate her 80th birthday today. My relationship with Mom was full of ups and downs, mostly the latter. There were some good moments, but very few. She did do some good things for me, such as assisting me on filling out the financial aid forms for college. She was a very good cook and talented artist. In the final years of her life, we did not get along well, and I had a nasty falling out with her two months before she died. I only got to talk to her on the phone three days before she died, but she was half asleep and I could barely understand what she was saying. This upcoming October will mark twelve years since she passed.

Like I mentioned before, she was a good cook. My favorite dish she prepared was, barbeque chicken and coleslaw. In honor of her, I prepared some barbeque chicken and coleslaw for dinner earlier tonight. Happy Birthday Mom, I miss you.

Mom, 1957.

It's just hair!

In recent news (or what would be called news), Miley Cyrus shorn her long blond locks for a close cropped pixie cut. Comments regarding her new do have been ranging from positive to downright nasty and negative. It seems every time when a woman (famous or not) gets her hair cut very short, she is derided for being too masculine or butch looking.

Two and a half years ago, I decided to cut my hair short in a boyish/pixie style. I did it on a whim one Saturday afternoon after I got sick of hair falling in my face during silver jewelry-making class. Even though I had worn my hair over thirty years in a variety of lengths: long to medium to pageboy bob and back to long-I have always wanted to get a short haircut, but was always afraid to. Reasons ranged from fearing it would not look good on me, that others would hate it, and I was always told by my late mother, that long hair was a "woman's crown and glory." I took the plunge anyway, and it looked good.

I got a lot of positive comments saying that my short haircut made me look younger and that it uplifted my facial features more. And of course, I did get some negative comments saying that my short hair made me look too much like a boy or I looked "butch." I did get called "sir" several times too (both unintentionally and intentionally), but I did not let it bother me. It's just fucking hair, one should wear it any length they want without being criticized for it.

I kept it short for over two years. Last summer I even got a buzz cut-the shortest I have ever worn my hair and it looked and felt good (especially on those 100 degree days).  Recently, I have decided out of my own volition to take a break from hair cuts and grow out my hair. One of the drawbacks of having short hair, were the razor bumps on the back of my neck from the hair clippers, which were really irritating. And having my hair cut every other month was starting to strain my tight budget. Despite all that, I have no regrets in getting my hair cut short.

Right now, my hair length is still considered short, but my hair is growing out in feathery waves and is curling at the back of the neck. Whenever I shake my head, my hair bounces. I don't know if I will grow out it to medium length or even have it long again (I have been thinking of ponytail length though). It's just hair-your hair, not anybody else's: it can be worn any length you want-long or short, it will always grow back.