Everybody's Working For The Weekend...okay, just me

I wish I could be excited about this weekend. (Are you all sick of my crappy attitude yet?) Tomorrow I work. Early. Well, 9:00. And if Miss A gets up at 4:15 and stays up till 5:00 and I can't sleep till 6:00 as was the case this morning... well, yeah I talked about the sucking yesterday. This morning I was tempted to get up at 6:00. I couldn't sleep and what was the point of staying in bed? I reconsidered when I thought about what a long day it would be if I was basically up since 4:15. So I forced myself to stay in bed. Eventually I passed out and awoke to happy noises coming from Audrey's room. I was surprised to find it was 9:30. It has been a long time since I slept that late. Tomorrow I have to get up at 7:00. There will be no sleeping in, regardless of whatever nighttime shenanigans little A gets up to.

Once I get to work I start my day with a bridesmaid from some wedding party I don't know. As I mentioned previously I am doing an upstyles class for my coworkers in May. I suppose this implies that I am some kind of expert on upstyles. Not true. I am experienced. I have been told I do nice work. The main reason I agreed to do the class is because I remember how awful it is to have to do bridal and grad hair and not have a freakin' clue how to go about it. I used to muddle through and because I am a creative person, end up doing a decent job. Over the years I have taught myself how to do this sort of work causing the least amount of stress on myself. Oh and also my client. I feel it is my responsibility to pass this knowledge on to others who still find themselves stressing over this kind of work.

I am often asked if I enjoy doing bridal parties and graduates hair. I smile and say that the times I enjoy it most is when I know the person whose hair I am doing, they trust me, and they are relaxed. Unfortunately, this is rarely the case. Typically, I have never met this person before, they have no idea whether I am any 'good', and they are quite possibly anxious and high strung (if this is their usual state then these emotions are heightened). In which case they are the farthest thing from relaxed. I then have about 5 minutes to gain their confidence, determine how they want their hair (sometimes this is like pulling teeth!) and put them at ease. With all my experience behind me I rarely fail at accomplishing these tasks, but if I do (which happens with the most severely anxious and high strung clients) then I am in for at least an hour of hair pulling (mine, not theirs) stress trying to make this person happy. This is just a little insight for any of you who are not hairstylists.

And, since this is my place to say whatever I want, because I can - In regards to the above: NO ONE CARES WHAT THE BRIDESMAIDS LOOK LIKE. IT IS THE BRIDE'S DAY! Wow. It just feels good to put that out there, you know. That being said, I understand that a bridesmaid wants and deserves to look attractive too. Honking my own horn (honk, honk), I do beautiful work, especially when I have healthy hair to work with. Whether I am doing a bride's hair or anyone else's I put forth the same effort. I have just become a little tired of bridesmaids I see (year after year after year) who would be willing to make the bride late as long as they look good. I can take a little attitude from the bride. As I said, it's her day. She can get away with being a little (stress the word little) bitchy. I prefer it if it is directed someone else's way rather than mine but whatever. Bridesmaids however, regardless of the ugliness of their dress, should be satisfied with a pretty hairstyle and not go all Paris Hilton on their stylist. Tantrum complete.

I usually worry that I'm going to have a 'Paris Hilton' in my chair the day of a wedding party and end up having a really nice girl who I get along with. You know what they say about once bitten twice shy though. That's me. No matter how many thousands of people I make gush, “Oh I LOVE my hair! It's like, totally the nicest hairstyle I've ever had, totally!” I always remember the ones who obsess over every pin, every curl and have that blank enthused expression on their fake baked (now, now, don't be nasty) face. 'Nuff said.




Sunday will be another early morning and one which I need to be very organized for. We are going to the city for the ABA. We aim to leave by 8:00 which means I'll be up much earlier than that packing a bag for Audrey, feeding her and attempting to make myself look like a professional rather than a sleep deprived mother. While Miss A and her dad visit with his family I will be wandering around a convention center buying combs, clips and brushes as well as sitting listening to pretentious hairstylists with fake foreign accents talk about how they charge $500 for a haircut where they come from. Again, I sound so bitter. To be positive (yes, I can be!) it's nice to stock up on stuff I need for work and listen to other stylists talk about their perception (or the perception of the company that they work for) of what's 'in style' as well as watch them do hair on stage. I am fortunate because my boss is a genius and he has taught me almost everything he knows.(He has to keep a bit of an advantage) The downside to that is that I am rarely impressed by the education that other stylists attempt to provide. I've usually heard it all before, like, 8 years ago. (Do I sound pretentious? Maybe I should be up on stage! I would fit right in.)

So there you have it. I will be busy with my 'part time' job this weekend. On a very happy note the friend who was my 'Maid of Honor' is here for a visit. She arrives today and I'm not sure when she's going home. I haven't seen her for over a year and I miss her dearly. So, if I don't write much next week you know I'm with her. We'll be out for long walks, shopping and sipping tea. Yippee! If I can convince her to let me, I'll post pictures of our adventures!