I got my hair cut today. It's not something that I particularly enjoy doing, but I do enjoy the results, so I buck up and get it done. (Although, when I'm growing it out, and have it grown out, that probably won't be the case.) I usually go back to the same place to get it done, but I don't make an appointment, and just go as a walk-in.
I figure that *mostly* everyone that works there is probably okay, and, honestly, I don't know how they get paid, but it seems like part of it would be based on how many heads they do each day. So, in an effort to even out the pay for some of the less popular employees, I do the walk-in option. Even if they don't get paid any extra or less for having a certain head count, per se, at least they can earn a little extra with my tip.
As someone has said, this is thoughtful of me, although somewhat dangerous for my hair. While that may be the case, I take comfort in the fact that hair always grows. Plus, if I get a botched cut, I can always go shorter. (Hey, I even want to shave my head at some point, just to experience it.)
With this dangerous approach, I do take some precautions. I try to avoid notoriously busy times, like the end of the day on a half-off day. Well, I try to avoid the end of the day, in general. Anyone who's worked in anything that involves dealing with clientele knows that the person who comes in the last hour of business is dreaded, if not hated. I try to avoid disdainful hairdressers. I've had more than one botched cut (from a different salon) at the hands of an unhappy hairdresser. Let's just say that it wasn't pretty.
Along with this, I also try to avoid times when the hairdressers (I make them sound like monsters) may be hungry or otherwise impatient... so, late mornings are out, also. That leaves a chunk of time in the afternoon, when they are - hopefully - appeased of all hunger, anger, and impatience.
After taking the time aspect of the drop-in into account, I then assess my own appearance. Whoever said that women dress for other women was a genius. Or at least an observant, or insightful person. (Who am I kidding? It was probably a woman.) Regardless, I take nearly everything into account. I make sure my eyebrows aren't going crazy. It's easy to forget about them, and it doesn't take long before you go from a hedgerow for your eyes to having a whole forest up there... or something of the sort, especially when you have bangs (like moi) that cover them up a bit.
In addition to making sure my eyebrows aren't fuzzy caterpillars, I also check the condition of my face. I essentially quit wearing makeup after I graduated from college (where I only wore it a couple times a week, for the campus newscast I co-anchored), but realized this afternoon, I could be tempted to put some on, just to appear a little more concerned with my appearance. It makes sense that someone who is helping you look great would care more about your looks if s/he knows that you really care. Now, I care how I look, but I'm just not into makeup... I don't know if that makes sense to hairdressers. I've seen very few who weren't wearing any of the stuff.
I also take my clothing and accessories into account. I try not to wear turtlenecks or other things with high collars, as they seem to interfere with the cape. I don't wear earrings, because I've had too many get caught in brushes, and that hurts. Above all, I try to look decent. Again, for the appearance of wanting to look good. I was laughing this afternoon - I put more thought and effort into the clothes I wear to get my hair cut than I do for a date. (Maybe this is why I'm single, hah.) But, I figure that if a guy likes me enough to ask me on a date, I've already impressed him, no? Plus, I'm not one for false advertising... and let's face it, I'm just not the kind of girl that's going to obsess over what she's going to wear to go get coffee, or ice cream, or a happy meal, or wherever else I'm being taken...
Anyway, once I've done all of this, it's time to go to the salon. Upon arrival, I check to see if there's room for a drop-in, which there usually is... so I wait. When I'm called, I tell whomever's doing the cut what I want, or some variation of it (which is usually, "you can do whatever you think would look good"). I'm not sure if this is helpful or not, but I try to be accommodating... they are the ones holding scissors to my head, after all. We then proceed to the awkward hair-washing station, where they try to make small talk, while I'm staring at the ceiling, trying not to think about how easy it would be to kill someone like that. (Weird, but true.)
After this ordeal is done, we proceed to the cut. This usually involves more small talk. I try to avoid the grad student part. So far, I've had a couple of nice girls tell me that they couldn't do the whole college thing. I try to avoid sore subjects while they're snipping away at my hair; it seems to be a little awkward. If I can make self-deprecating comments about how I don't dare to trim my hair, because it's always so much better from a trained professional, that seems to help placate any other touchy subjects that arise. I sit there, and try not to laugh at how silly I look, with my wet hair wound around in clumps that are clipped out of the way. I also try to sit still, which is harder than it sounds. Then again, I try to sit still like a statue. My mom imprinted the idea of not moving while someone's cutting my hair into my brain pretty searingly.
Once the cut is finally over, I try not to wince when they break out the round brush that inevitably scrapes the tops of my ears. It always makes me feel so self-conscious, like the tops of my ears must stick out a lot, or something. Then it scrapes the back of my neck, and I hope it won't leave any scratch marks; my mom is notoriously thorough in noticing things along my neck... haha. At least it gets the blow dryer used on it at this point... then, then s/he breaks out the flat iron, to straighten my hair. It always makes me want to laugh; my hair is so straight already... but I guess it makes it a bit flatter, or something. I'm always afraid my head, neck or ears are going to get burnt. Aside from the washing and combing, none of these things get done at home... thankfully.
But, at least it looks good... my time theory seemed to have worked, if nothing else!
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