Back to black

Along with other things recently, this blog has suffered somewhat. So I decided (and hopefully I won't regret) to do something about it. I joined Problogger's 31 days to build a better blog (31DBBB).

I've already missed some of the first assignments, including the following:
1/ SWOT analysis... on my blog? This is old school biz school. But I suppose I should take a stab at it, being a verified old skooler and all.
2/ Develop an "elevator pitch" for my blog. Marketing 101 again, I suppose. I think it will certainly come in handy at BlogHer '09, though. If people take pity and chat with me in the bar food line, I'll have something more interesting to throw at them. One would hope.

Both those items are now homework.

I'm rolling the next couple of assignments into one. Today we are putting together a list post and practicing promotion. I'm also going to give you some useful advice based on experience. Recent experience, trying to go back to my original *cough* hair colour.

So here we go ...

Ten things that you NEED to know before you colour your own hair.

(I did this, not only as my salute to frugality in honour of our recessionary times, but also because the last salon colour I got lasted about 4 days before grays started peeking out, and I don't have another two hours and $70 to waste again any time soon.)

1/ Pre-prep work: Do the allergy test. Just don't put it in a conspicuous spot where people will wonder if that's a honkin' new mole or you're just happy to see them.

2/ Prep work: Read the instructions from beginning to end, BEFORE you start. That way you won't miss the part about framing your face with face cream so you can clean off the " scream" effect more easily later.

3/ What to wear: Borrow an old shirt from the man. Just don't forget that there's a reason he wanted to chuck it, as it is HUGE and that drips that you don't wipe away immediately will end up giving you "dirt-neck". Ewww...

4/ Surround Sound: During the rinse cycle, don't have the TV on "Tyra" while they are discussing Facebook and Twitter addictions. Or at least turn the volume down so you don't know what you're missin' or what you should be dissin'. (Tyra? WTH?)

5/ The Area: Clear the decks. Give yourself ample room for splash and remove all possible targets within a 6 foot radius. And it's not a moshpit, so try to keep your head as still as possible when you're slathering. I forgot about my last foray into Jackson Pollock-ville.

6/ Pre-pre-prep work: Cut your hair to one inch length.

7/ How long? Regarding those "10 minutes to go" kits? Realize that 10 minutes only refers to the time that the colour should sit in the hair. But there's a dilemma. Do you time from the start, or when you've completed the whole head... because by the time you finish it could be closer to 20-30 minutes.

And then you're totally emo.

Make it easy on yourself. See #6.

8/Survival tip A: Keep the gloves on, or if possible, upgrade to longer elbow length versions. Black rivulets of hair dye cannot pass for cool henna tattoos. Cannot.

9/Survival tip B: If you wear specs like I do, put aluminum foil on the arms. You're not baking them, but they do actually save them from wrecking during the development time.

10/ Survival tip C: But don't wear your glasses while you're actually putting the colour in your tresses because it's difficult to work around the foil. And therein lies the problem, particularly if you're blind as a bat like I am. Just cross your fingers and be thankful that you can't see the back or the top of your head.

So that's the list!

And now, I will tweet this.

Mission accomplished. Next mission, a decent haircut.

Whaddya think?




(The boy thinks it looks awkward, as in "good black, in a totally emo kind of way, Mom". A good thing?)

Poof Mommy - or " I have Jennifer Aniston's hair "

...circa 1994.



What the hell?

My usual hairstylist is on maternity leave, so I booked another appointment for a simple cut with the same girl who subbed for her last time. The last time she did a pretty decent job. Even gave me a decent colour.

This time? Does something about my face scream "blow-out"? Or maybe it's because I had my son with me ( he who should have been in school but had me take him home after a sudden GI flu attack on the schoolbus, and then miraculously recovered in time for me to take him with me to my appointment).

I know I'm a suburban soccer mom, but I've never walked into the salon with my hair styled like I was trying to be an Asian Heather Locklear. Not that there's anything wrong with Heather's hair, or with the old "Rachel" style for that matter ... just not for me. The poof doesn't sit well with Chinese locks.

"Don't worry Mom, it'll look much better after you come out of the shower!"

Even my 8 year old gets it.

Weekly Winners # 26 - Yo Momma

Hey girlie, hey sista

Yo brudda, yo brudda

Yo momma's got a brand new head...

no, she can't wear deez...

...but doze aren't too shabby (yah, that's right, they fit OVER my glasses.

But they are XOXO. Who woulda thunk?)

Fashion Friday: To Hair is Human

I've noticed that lately there's been a little self-portrait posting going on in the blogosphere. Some have been super-brave and posting pix of themselves first thing in the morning (started by sweetney , but all beautiful women); I don't have the ballzz to do that, but I did see another hair-meme-ish round a few weeks ago, courtesy of fabulous bloggers Rima, Kami and Motherscribe. Sort of a hair-retrospective - I don't know where that genius originated or I would certainly give credit where credit is due.

This one I can handle. So without further adieu, here we go.

It all started out pretty cute.

The bowl-cut has a sort of androgeny which was highly under-rated at the time...

Losing teeth, but the hair is shiny still...

( Okay, I'm totally skipping the bullying-worthy years... after all, this is my blog. Still there are some guffaw-inspiring pics upcoming...)

High school post-braces and after-contacts!!!! Whoo,-hoo- dig that Farrah/Little House/ Leather Bowtie look..

High school grad. No such thing as flat irons yet. This is what happens when an Asian girl with stick straight hair wants to do the Madonna-Like-A-Virgin curl ... and it goes horribly wrong. Nothing like capturing that for all eternity during a momentous occasion... and again on your blog.

Dating, hotness (well, as hot as I got) years ahead...

Jodphurs and thigh-high riding boots! Longer shag-me hair, though.

At one of the various weddings we attended when I so wanted a ring.

Lab 1 guy in all his mullet glory (he's gonna kill me for this one...)

The Married Years

Wedding photo... Bob #1

I did what one of my male friends complain that women all do once they get married. I got shorn. Actually, this didn't look so bad...over a decade before Posh Beckham made it "in" again... I look happy. Must be in Barbados or something...


Oh look, it gets worse! How to look like you're a forty year old suburban mom before you hit 30. Or how to rock the sweatshirt over Dexy's Midnight Runners overalls. Not good.


Bob #2. Grad school convocation with my baby boy as a bonus. Boy L was 18 months old here.

Work function, so looking very coiffed. Also a little bloated from fertility drugs, TTC #2, about 10 pounds heavier than my ideal weight. Thought that by slimming the photo with cropping technology I might look trimmer. Probably not.

Baby girl is 4 months old here as big brother turns 5. Mommy needs a haircut - badly.

And she does it, finally. Baby girl is just over two. Happy bangs.

Bob #3. This was after a summer of long hair. And it's a little red.

I think I liked it better as it grew... I can barely contain myself.

And the most recent cut? Welcome to the house of DORA!!!!!

This is me normally; not so poufed. I'm also thinking about going back to my natural (not grey yet though) colour. For something completely different.

HAPPY EASTER TO ALL WHO ARE CELEBRATING AND FOR THOSE WHO AREN'T, ENJOY THE BREAK!!!