Five days a week, I have a 45 minute commute in the morning, 30 in the afternoon, and 25 in the evening. So with my combined 100 minutes of driving, I've decided to learn my heritage language, Gaeilge. A.k.a. Gaelic, or Irish. I'm also very German, English and a bunch of other things, but this is what fascinates me right now. Even though I really should be learning Spanish for my job. I just placed an order for some Irish language CDs for my commute. And lately, most of the time that I'm home, I have news in Irish broadcasting from my computer, I just click on whatever day on the calendar I feel like and can hear a 13 minute newscast. I just want to get used to hearing it. I'm really excited about it. I'll let you know how it goes.
29 May 2006
28 May 2006
Did you know?
Telling a girl she reminds you of your mom isn't a compliment?
That it's up there with getting ma'am-ed?
That telling a girl she reminds you of your sister, cousin, aunt, greasy granny, anyone you're related to, is a huge turn-off?
It's pretty much the creepiest thing you can say to a girl who you're interested in having a relationship with.
On the other hand, if she likes you and the feelings aren't mutual and you need to shake her fast, there's no better tactic out there.
This has been a Public Service Announcement from Leah Vanessa.
27 May 2006
WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING
If you come to me for a haircut and request the "wedge," you're out of luck. It's the only haircut I've jacked up since I started school, but I really really jacked it up. Luckily my client was a mannequin. One of my classmates has a mannequin that's a little "strong" looking, I refer to it as her "Tranny Manny." It has a receding hairline. I've done reasonably well so far on all my haircuts, but this one really got the best of me. I thought I was the only one until my instructor went to check everyone's work and 8 out of 9 of us had jacked it in one way or another. It was stressful. So I did a little of what I call "creative camouflage" and made it look like a really cool asymmetrical cut. After I styled it all punk, you couldn't really tell that the layers on one side were like 2 inches shorter, and if you looked closely enough, you'd think I did it on purpose. And mine has long sweepy punk bangs. Not dumb bangs like on that website. She likes it like that. Never fear, I'll get to try it again in a few weeks. And trust me, I'm gonna get that junk right. I mean, look at her before...
She turned out alright. This was a couple of haircuts before the wacky wedgie. The one after this was a big 'ol round local news broadcaster haircut. Hey man, I don't pick 'em, I just do what they tell me to.
She turned out alright. This was a couple of haircuts before the wacky wedgie. The one after this was a big 'ol round local news broadcaster haircut. Hey man, I don't pick 'em, I just do what they tell me to.
23 May 2006
No! Not that!
I had a terrible dream last night. I dreamed that I wasn't allowed to wear lip balm of any kind anymore. I don't remember all of the horrifying details, but I remember that there was an ultimatum, something like a knee cap, my eyesight, a kidney, or... Lip balm. I was freaking out because there was no way I could give up lip balm for the rest of my life.
So I am posting a tribute to my fantastic lips. They haven't been enhanced in any way, except by perfectly benign lip balm, and a little computer editing to get some of the weird green reflection out. And yes, I can live without a kidney or a kneecap, but my eyesight and my lip balm are very necessary.
So I am posting a tribute to my fantastic lips. They haven't been enhanced in any way, except by perfectly benign lip balm, and a little computer editing to get some of the weird green reflection out. And yes, I can live without a kidney or a kneecap, but my eyesight and my lip balm are very necessary.
21 May 2006
I'm a Dork
For real tho'...
I love school.
I'm the kid who showed up an hour early on her first day.
The kid who asks the teacher lots of questions and tries to be the first one with the answer.
The one who raises her hand in class.
Who studies on her lunch break.
Who does all her homework and studies for her tests.
Who gloated when after the rude kid in her theory class made a snide comment about her intelligence, the rude kid failed the test and the smart kid had the second highest score in the class. (Next time I'll be first.)
The kid who reviews the techniques the night before.
The kid who passes every technique the first time.
And sometimes in record speed. (But not always.)
The kid who when she made her first mistake (on Saturday) and her instructor told her not to fix it, and just move on, took the time to ask some technical questions about potential outcomes and how to fix mistakes in the future and came out of the mistake feeling more confident about her cutting abilities.
The over achiever.
The teacher's pet.
In high school I was lucky if I made it to school 3 days out of the week. Homework never happened. But, neither did graduation.
I'm trying to figure out where this person came from. I think it must be the whole, the more I study, the better I'll be, the more money I'll make, thing. Maybe it's because the director of the school said something about the potential to make $2000.00 a day on the weekends. Maybe high school students just need more incentive.
Just in case you couldn't tell, I love it. Truly.
I love school.
I'm the kid who showed up an hour early on her first day.
The kid who asks the teacher lots of questions and tries to be the first one with the answer.
The one who raises her hand in class.
Who studies on her lunch break.
Who does all her homework and studies for her tests.
Who gloated when after the rude kid in her theory class made a snide comment about her intelligence, the rude kid failed the test and the smart kid had the second highest score in the class. (Next time I'll be first.)
The kid who reviews the techniques the night before.
The kid who passes every technique the first time.
And sometimes in record speed. (But not always.)
The kid who when she made her first mistake (on Saturday) and her instructor told her not to fix it, and just move on, took the time to ask some technical questions about potential outcomes and how to fix mistakes in the future and came out of the mistake feeling more confident about her cutting abilities.
The over achiever.
The teacher's pet.
In high school I was lucky if I made it to school 3 days out of the week. Homework never happened. But, neither did graduation.
I'm trying to figure out where this person came from. I think it must be the whole, the more I study, the better I'll be, the more money I'll make, thing. Maybe it's because the director of the school said something about the potential to make $2000.00 a day on the weekends. Maybe high school students just need more incentive.
Just in case you couldn't tell, I love it. Truly.
19 May 2006
Happy Birthday to me.
I'm back! I finally have a working computer and an internet connection. TONS has happened, but I'm really tired, so I'm not going to go into all of the details. Just some of them. I started at the Toni and Guy Hairdressing Academy on May 10th and I LOVE it. And I'm really good at it, if I do say so myself. Life is monumentally hectic because I'm going to school full time and still working part time. So I have a few 12+ hour days in my week. But so far all is well. I turned 26 today. But I don't feel it. It hasn't even felt like a birthday. And it's a far cry from my birthday last year, which is a good thing. I was in a very self-destructive place last year and it's taken me the entire year since to get to the healthy and balanced place I feel I'm in now. A boy in my class told me he doesn't believe me that I've given up insecurity all-together and that he thinks it's a sign of my insecurity to even say so. I said some of this:
I've earned everything that I am today. And everything I am, good, bad, or otherwise, is mine. I've worked long and hard to love every inch of myself inside and out, and you get to a certain age where you realize that the insecurities that you've carried around all your life have mostly been given to you by other people, and that they're a waste of time. I'm not saying that I don't have any more insecurities, but now I stop and re-assess and remind myself that I've worked really hard to be this person, that I have nothing to fear from anyone else. I've also realized this year, how many self-destructive patterns I've had in my life. It's been a long time since I've let the things people do or say hurt me, but I'd continued to hurt myself over and over. But I've made a vow to myself. A vow of self love, self protection, and self respect. I look back on my last serious relationship, the one that prompted this blog, the break-up that will live in infamy. Most of you know the story, so I won't go there. But I looked back recently and realized that I'd given my heart to a person who didn't think I was as phenomenal as I did. I'd allowed myself to be with a person who took the talents I'd always been so proud of and made them seem trivial. He didn't like to hear me sing, he didn't like my writing, my friends, or my standards, and he thought I was just kind of pretty. But because of other insecurities in my life, I stayed with him. Told myself I was in love with him. Allowed myself to be flattered by his attention. Never again. And I've been single for 2½ years since. And I'm ok with that. I feel strong and secure and have learned so much about myself. And I love the journey.
I've earned everything that I am today. And everything I am, good, bad, or otherwise, is mine. I've worked long and hard to love every inch of myself inside and out, and you get to a certain age where you realize that the insecurities that you've carried around all your life have mostly been given to you by other people, and that they're a waste of time. I'm not saying that I don't have any more insecurities, but now I stop and re-assess and remind myself that I've worked really hard to be this person, that I have nothing to fear from anyone else. I've also realized this year, how many self-destructive patterns I've had in my life. It's been a long time since I've let the things people do or say hurt me, but I'd continued to hurt myself over and over. But I've made a vow to myself. A vow of self love, self protection, and self respect. I look back on my last serious relationship, the one that prompted this blog, the break-up that will live in infamy. Most of you know the story, so I won't go there. But I looked back recently and realized that I'd given my heart to a person who didn't think I was as phenomenal as I did. I'd allowed myself to be with a person who took the talents I'd always been so proud of and made them seem trivial. He didn't like to hear me sing, he didn't like my writing, my friends, or my standards, and he thought I was just kind of pretty. But because of other insecurities in my life, I stayed with him. Told myself I was in love with him. Allowed myself to be flattered by his attention. Never again. And I've been single for 2½ years since. And I'm ok with that. I feel strong and secure and have learned so much about myself. And I love the journey.