The Politics of Hair and an announcement

This morning I made a bold decision. I've been growing out my colored hair for months and letting my natural salt-and-pepper haircolor see the light of day. Yes, I'm only 34. Early graying is a genetic trait. At any rate, my natural haircolor had grown out enough that I decided that it was time to cut all the highlighted brown ends off. So I took myself off to the hair salon and the stylist went to work.

I tend to be the quiet type once I sit down in the chair. Other people rattle on and on, but I'd rather sit and listen to the conversations flowing around me. Today, there was a man getting his hair cut by a very loud and opinionated woman. The conversation starting with stories about how the price of gas has just gone through the roof and, goodness, she didn't know how people could afford it. Then the conversation quickly went downhill as the stylist ranted about how citizens don't have no rights and the government's stealing from us by making us pay for Medicare when doctors don't even take it anymore and the social security's going to be gone and the government's just stealing! Out. Right. Stealing!!

Now there's one thing I know. You never, ever argue with your stylist. You make appropriate noises of agreement and non-commital statements no matter what outlandish conspiracy theory she starts spouting. Then you carefully steer the conversation back to more neutral ground. After all, you don't want her to get so worked up over some topic that she stops paying attention to what she's doing with those scissors. And your hair.

You might never recover.

Now onto the really exciting news that I can FINALLY post. My brother's engaged!! He made it back to his base in CA just in time to get a 4-day pass, fly his girlfriend out to Vegas for her birthday, and propose. She just posted it on her Facebook profile, so I can now let the whole world know. My brother is over 10 years younger than me and it's so weird to think that's he's grown up and getting married. My first bit of advice to him after I heard about his plans actually came from Mr. at Home. After he proposes, it's *her* wedding and it will happen when, where, and how she wants it and he just needs to get used to saying, "Yes, dear".

Very sound advice.