Yet More Random Things

#1: I am occasionally a little astounded by how much of their lives some people live on their front stoops. I'm all for unwinding with a beer or a glass of wine, or hanging out to watch the kids play in the street (ideally one's own kids, though I have seen plenty of unsupervised, younger-than-I-would-be-comfortable-with, kids running around, so a few extra adults is never a bad thing). And a single family home with a nice big porch is a different story. Not attached to one or more other houses? Some acreage of your own to afford some privacy? Go crazy. Practice yoga in the nude on your front porch.

But in a townhouse neighborhood, the living is already a bit too close for comfort. Cigarettes smoked a mere inches from someone else's open window. Arguments between couples that don't want to fight in front of their kids. Extremely loud international phone conversations in other languages (is it something about the connection? Because our neighbors with relatives in other countries always talk to them VERY LOUDLY. On their front stoops. Probably to be considerate to those inside the house, I'm guessing).

Yesterday I was out jogging, and saw a man sitting on his front stoop, cutting his toenails. I could hear the sharp sound of the clippers cutting through keratin over the music coming through my earphones. And then I died from the grossness of it.

#2: Ever since I blogged about Lucy's success with potty training, she has had at least one accident a day. Of course.

#3: I saw a bumper sticker yesterday that immediately brought to mind all the myriad reasons why putting bumper stickers of any form on your car is a bad idea. And then I promptly forgot what the bumper sticker said. But can we all just agree that bumper stickers should be treated like tattoos - you've got to be REALLY certain you're behind the message, and that it's a message that will stand the test of time, before you slap it on your car? I think the situation is best avoided by just refusing to put ANYTHING on my car. Including those stick figure family stickers that advertise all the various members of your family, from perky, pony-tailed daughter to soccer-ball-kicking son to Fido with a bone in his mouth. I'm just trying to drive somewhere, I don't care who's in your family.

#4: In the very first blog post I ever wrote for this blog, I lamented about my difficulties in finding a hair salon in our area to get my hair cut. I relayed an awkward experience I had at a nearby salon, not sure if I would go back. Well, since then, I have: 1) tried a different salon a few times, with two different stylists. One gave me a pretty good haircut, while the other one left my hair looking pretty much exactly the same as it looked before I sat in her chair. Both of them charged me more than I really wanted to pay for a haircut. And now I receive e-mails from their salon EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. 2) I went to the Haircuttery twice, the same place M. and Finn go to because they offer very cheap haircuts. And because they were right next door to a Panera, so we could all get a fun breakfast afterward. My haircuts were OK but not great - the "layers" I asked for were not really executed with skill or noticeable effect. I was charged more because I have "long hair" (honestly I think this is lame, because short hair is usually more complicated to cut than long hair, but whatever, the total price is still relatively cheap). I don't really like going to salons where a blow dry is not assumed and costs extra (isn't the styling in the end every woman's favorite part about getting her haircut? Except for maybe the hair wash at the beginning?) And the Panera has now closed (though a Corner Bakery will be opening eventually in it's place), so I don't have the lure of yummy baked goods anymore. And, 3) I did go back once more to the salon I originally wrote about in my blog post. The awkward experience one. It was just as awkward the second time. And empty. The salon is now closed, and I am not surprised.

So this time? I bit the bullet, and went to my neighbor's salon. The neighbor that lives right next door to me, that we share a wall with, and wave at when we are both out on our decks. And stoops. I have been hesitating for over 4 years because, well, what if I didn't like the haircut? What if I didn't want to go back?

And? She gave me a really great haircut. It was clear that, unlike the Haircuttery staff and some of the others I've been to, she really, really knows what she's doing with those scissors. I'm kind of kicking myself that I didn't go earlier. I will be going back. And I'm considering bringing Lucy there (maybe this weekend) because frankly, I am tired of brushing her hair to the tunes of screams and wails and attempts to run away. I could cut her hair again myself, but at this point, I think I'd rather have someone else do it. And my neighbor is just so quick with those scissors, she'd probably have Lucy all fixed up before she even had time to get the first squawk out.

#5: Have a great weekend. That is all.