This could get long.......
So, last Friday I took the day off from work to clean and run and around and do some errands before the first night of the reunion. I was up early and I put VH1 on, because believe it or not they actually play videos really early in the morning...so, I start to wash my kitchen floor and video after video came on of angry, girl power songs...I started to swiffer very angrily...I kept getting more and more mad...working out some aggression...and the damn Swiffer kept falling apart! Needless to say I was even more pissed! But continue to Angry Swiffer I did! I wonder what my neighbors thought of me after that! All the F words that came flying out of my mouth...loudly...at the Swiffer and someone else...But glad I got that out for the weekend of fun ahead!
Also on Friday I went and got my eyebrows waxed. As I was laying there in the spa bed with sounds of ocean waves and chanting surrounding me, I started to think about this world of "beauty" that we live in. There are many people out there who would call me high maintenance because I groom my toes and my eyebrows and my hair, etc. There are some people out there who would be quick to say that this is what American society has done to us, but I disagree completely, and I might even have a different take on why some of this stuff is uber important.
First off...it's not American society doing this to us. Since the dawn of man people have been adorning themselves and grooming themselves to show their status in life. Ancient people garbed themselves in clothing that would distinguish them from someone else. Greek and Roman women had hair so coiffed it makes your head spin. Egyptian women, and men, wore tons of make-up! Even today if you go to see some of the tribes in Borneo, you'll find people who distinguish themselves with tattoos. There are a couple of different places in the world where large plates are placed into lips and ears. I know of at least one of those tribes that the size of the plate shows how many head of cattle were given to marry you! And what about the women with the rings that stretch out their necks. Or the tribes in Africa that use scarification to make themselves beautiful. It may not be what we consider beautiful, but my point is that around the world and for thousands and thousands of years people have been trying to make themselves stand out, fit in, and just look beautiful in what THEIR society deems is beautiful.
I will agree that Westerners have taken this to an extreme, but as I was laying in that spa I started to think about why...and one thought occured to me. Touch....Attention....Affection....these are things that we are starved for and may not even know that we are starved for it! I care more about what it feels like when I'm getting a pedicure than what other people care looking at it afterward! I pay people to touch me. I pay people to pay attention to me. And in some sick way I am paying people to give me affection. All because we live in a society where if you have to sit next to a stranger on a bus, you will squeeze yourself in so that you don't have to rub knees or elbows with that person. In a society where hugs and kisses on the cheek are almost taboo unless you have known someone for years. So, I guess until our society grows up in the sense of our personal space, or until I move to a closer knit society I will have to continue to pay this team of mine. And, yes, I also realized that I do have a team of experts who once a month, once every since months, every two weeks or whatever is called for, they are there to make me feel beautiful...and in my mind, to make me feel loved...that's what I'm paying for afterall...underneath it all....
The newest memeber of my team is Kevin. I went in to get a manicure one day and Kevin convinced me to get a set of acryllics. I was extremely hesitant at first since the last couple of times I did this I was in excrutiating pain and my nails broke, and my real nails came off with them. Anyway...I have had no pain with Kevin, and I love him. He gives me the most gorgeous set of nails every three weeks. And I love him more for always wanting them to look natural. He is very quiet, and seems very kind. I hand my hands over to him wth joy!
Then there's Michelle, who is in charge of everythig about my face...and the stray hairs that grow there...like my eyebrows. Michelle tries to convince me to go down to the border to buy Retin-A, but she's great...even though she uses her little piece of thread to literally rip the hair off of my face.
And of course there's the sweet girls at Tanco, who always give me advice on the next best lotion...and how long I should tan for if I haven't been in a while.
And all the ladies at Avalon who do my toes. I wouldn't want their job, but I always walk out of there feeling renewed in my spirit. I have no idea what kind of magic they use, but it's great!!!
And who could ever forget Jeff...he's been cutting my hair for 13 years!!! He's the first one who tried to tame my half shaved head into something normal as I grew it out. I have had so many people ask where I get my hair done, and it's all him. I don't think I will EVER let someone else cut my hair for as long as he's in business!
And finally...there's Ray Ray the Killer who is in charge of all things dealing with my body. Ray Ray is very disappointed in me right now and I want to change that. I remember in the day when he'd set me up to lift some weights and I would say, "That's too light!"...and he would say, "Oh, yea, I forgot you were a bulldog!" Or when he called me a "Tough Baby" because I would take the pain and keep on going, but cry and complain the whole way. I really miss my old body...not even just the way it looked, but how I felt...I felt strong...physically, emotionally, mentally...then...I could've tackled the world, but now...well, I guess it just takes time. But I don't want Ray Ray to be disappointed in my any more. He does work so hard afterall to get me to do the things I do.
So...on to the Lackland High School Reunion.....
Friday night we went to Coyote Ugly. I took my sister and brother-in-law as my safety net, but soon knew that I was ok on my own. I ran into so many people, and it was really great. However, Mando, Jason, and I kept coming back to each other...we were our own little safety net. I can now say I have danced on a bar, and I'm glad my sister and brother-in-law were ready to go before I got too stupidly drunk.
Saturday we were at Dave and Buster's. It was really, really nice, and Elise and others did such a great job of making it perfect. They showed some video that I've got to get my hands on! I mingled...drank a little too much, and ended up at the bar with Will, Marcia, and some others so we could smoke...Ahhh...that was soooooo much like old times.
After D&B's we headed out to Boneheadz to finish up the night. But I will say that the night did not end there. A little after party ensued at Steve's, but fortunately, Steve's house is like Vegas. What happens at Steve's, Stays at Steve's. All I'll say is that I had to climb a fence, my good heels are caked in mud, and I keep finding bruises everywhere. I had one of the best times of my life! Hope everyone else did, too!
So, last Friday I took the day off from work to clean and run and around and do some errands before the first night of the reunion. I was up early and I put VH1 on, because believe it or not they actually play videos really early in the morning...so, I start to wash my kitchen floor and video after video came on of angry, girl power songs...I started to swiffer very angrily...I kept getting more and more mad...working out some aggression...and the damn Swiffer kept falling apart! Needless to say I was even more pissed! But continue to Angry Swiffer I did! I wonder what my neighbors thought of me after that! All the F words that came flying out of my mouth...loudly...at the Swiffer and someone else...But glad I got that out for the weekend of fun ahead!
Also on Friday I went and got my eyebrows waxed. As I was laying there in the spa bed with sounds of ocean waves and chanting surrounding me, I started to think about this world of "beauty" that we live in. There are many people out there who would call me high maintenance because I groom my toes and my eyebrows and my hair, etc. There are some people out there who would be quick to say that this is what American society has done to us, but I disagree completely, and I might even have a different take on why some of this stuff is uber important.
First off...it's not American society doing this to us. Since the dawn of man people have been adorning themselves and grooming themselves to show their status in life. Ancient people garbed themselves in clothing that would distinguish them from someone else. Greek and Roman women had hair so coiffed it makes your head spin. Egyptian women, and men, wore tons of make-up! Even today if you go to see some of the tribes in Borneo, you'll find people who distinguish themselves with tattoos. There are a couple of different places in the world where large plates are placed into lips and ears. I know of at least one of those tribes that the size of the plate shows how many head of cattle were given to marry you! And what about the women with the rings that stretch out their necks. Or the tribes in Africa that use scarification to make themselves beautiful. It may not be what we consider beautiful, but my point is that around the world and for thousands and thousands of years people have been trying to make themselves stand out, fit in, and just look beautiful in what THEIR society deems is beautiful.
I will agree that Westerners have taken this to an extreme, but as I was laying in that spa I started to think about why...and one thought occured to me. Touch....Attention....Affection....these are things that we are starved for and may not even know that we are starved for it! I care more about what it feels like when I'm getting a pedicure than what other people care looking at it afterward! I pay people to touch me. I pay people to pay attention to me. And in some sick way I am paying people to give me affection. All because we live in a society where if you have to sit next to a stranger on a bus, you will squeeze yourself in so that you don't have to rub knees or elbows with that person. In a society where hugs and kisses on the cheek are almost taboo unless you have known someone for years. So, I guess until our society grows up in the sense of our personal space, or until I move to a closer knit society I will have to continue to pay this team of mine. And, yes, I also realized that I do have a team of experts who once a month, once every since months, every two weeks or whatever is called for, they are there to make me feel beautiful...and in my mind, to make me feel loved...that's what I'm paying for afterall...underneath it all....
The newest memeber of my team is Kevin. I went in to get a manicure one day and Kevin convinced me to get a set of acryllics. I was extremely hesitant at first since the last couple of times I did this I was in excrutiating pain and my nails broke, and my real nails came off with them. Anyway...I have had no pain with Kevin, and I love him. He gives me the most gorgeous set of nails every three weeks. And I love him more for always wanting them to look natural. He is very quiet, and seems very kind. I hand my hands over to him wth joy!
Then there's Michelle, who is in charge of everythig about my face...and the stray hairs that grow there...like my eyebrows. Michelle tries to convince me to go down to the border to buy Retin-A, but she's great...even though she uses her little piece of thread to literally rip the hair off of my face.
And of course there's the sweet girls at Tanco, who always give me advice on the next best lotion...and how long I should tan for if I haven't been in a while.
And all the ladies at Avalon who do my toes. I wouldn't want their job, but I always walk out of there feeling renewed in my spirit. I have no idea what kind of magic they use, but it's great!!!
And who could ever forget Jeff...he's been cutting my hair for 13 years!!! He's the first one who tried to tame my half shaved head into something normal as I grew it out. I have had so many people ask where I get my hair done, and it's all him. I don't think I will EVER let someone else cut my hair for as long as he's in business!
And finally...there's Ray Ray the Killer who is in charge of all things dealing with my body. Ray Ray is very disappointed in me right now and I want to change that. I remember in the day when he'd set me up to lift some weights and I would say, "That's too light!"...and he would say, "Oh, yea, I forgot you were a bulldog!" Or when he called me a "Tough Baby" because I would take the pain and keep on going, but cry and complain the whole way. I really miss my old body...not even just the way it looked, but how I felt...I felt strong...physically, emotionally, mentally...then...I could've tackled the world, but now...well, I guess it just takes time. But I don't want Ray Ray to be disappointed in my any more. He does work so hard afterall to get me to do the things I do.
So...on to the Lackland High School Reunion.....
Friday night we went to Coyote Ugly. I took my sister and brother-in-law as my safety net, but soon knew that I was ok on my own. I ran into so many people, and it was really great. However, Mando, Jason, and I kept coming back to each other...we were our own little safety net. I can now say I have danced on a bar, and I'm glad my sister and brother-in-law were ready to go before I got too stupidly drunk.
Saturday we were at Dave and Buster's. It was really, really nice, and Elise and others did such a great job of making it perfect. They showed some video that I've got to get my hands on! I mingled...drank a little too much, and ended up at the bar with Will, Marcia, and some others so we could smoke...Ahhh...that was soooooo much like old times.
After D&B's we headed out to Boneheadz to finish up the night. But I will say that the night did not end there. A little after party ensued at Steve's, but fortunately, Steve's house is like Vegas. What happens at Steve's, Stays at Steve's. All I'll say is that I had to climb a fence, my good heels are caked in mud, and I keep finding bruises everywhere. I had one of the best times of my life! Hope everyone else did, too!
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