Professionals...

People who tend to be really good in their chosen field are regarded as professionals. Some people may claim to be professionals, but are usually hacks. Case in point, I rarely get a haircut. Maybe it's because I don't feel that I have time to properly take care of myself. It could be that I don't really care that much about my hair and would just as soon put it in a ponytail than blowdry and flatiron it. I have never been that in to my hair, mainly because it's long and thick and a true pain in the ass. For 10 years I trusted Alex in Austin to take care of my hair, although never visiting her more than once per year. Now that we're in NYC and I don't have Alex here, I've had to find someone new.

Since we moved to NYC I have had my hair cut/styled 5 times. The first was from a Dominican lady who gave me a hot oil treatment, which I blame for the lack of curl that I have since experienced with my hair. The second was at an Aveda salon in the neighborhood who didn't do a bad job, but feigned exhaustion at the thought of blowdrying my hair. The 3rd was Michaela. Oh Michaela, how I love what you do to my hair. After a year of not being sure that I could trust someone to cut my hair that didn't have her own salon, I submitted. The haircut was great (See November blog from 2005 for proof). But I was not yet convinced. In April of 2006 I found myself in Austin and in need of a cut for a wedding. I called Alex and was able to get right in. As much as I loved Alex and have trusted her for 10 year (hell, she even did my hair for my wedding), she butchered me just hours before I was to be a bridesmaid. I have not had a haircut since and have been letting my hair grown and turn various shades of dead.

Then Michaela opened her own salon down the street from us. I finally set an appointment and got my hair cut on Thursday. This is why people become professionals in their field. Because they can! Check out the results.





Now, I claim to be a professional social worker and I think I do a pretty good job of being one. However, I may be good at many other things, but would never consider myself a professional. Possibly a jack of all trades, someone who dabbles a bit. One thing I could never become is a professional hairstylist. Hell, I can't even be a professional head-shaver. My husband, bless his bald little head, has began having his head shaved every two to four weeks since July. I blame Michaela for starting this trend by shaving his head when I was out of town for 4th of July. Unfortunately, she lost a customer when Sam realized that he could do it on his own. So I began helping him with the spots that he missed.

Today, he let me drive the clippers. He told me that I could do whatever I wanted. This is why people trust professionals and not dabblers. I present to you:

Sam's racing stripes!





Don't worry, after the pictures were taken and I stopped laughing, I completed the job and Sam has a nicely shaven head. Unfortunately, a shaved head is not the best winter 'do, but it's what he likes.

So, the moral of this story? Always trust a professional to do things like haircuts. It's okay to trust dabblers for smaller things, such as advice or things that won't affect your outside appearance. Viva Professionals!