Where Did It Go? I Keep Touching It But It’s Not There.

I just had most of my hair cut off again.  I go through bouts of this every couple years–growing my hair out real long, and then getting it chopped real short. This most recent cutting experience was probably the most arduous, though.  I am inexcusably loyal to the Queens Center Aveda, if only because I like any excuse to hit the mall/Target/Fay Da/Ten Ren circuit, but this might be the end of our relationship. Earlier this afternoon, I called to see if they had any after-work appointments open, and they did.  I’d been there before, and they conveniently store your hair type/color/constitution in their computer (and confirm it with you when you show up for your appointment), so they already knew I had long unmanagably curly hair that refuses to subject itself to dyes, chemicals, and ironclad styling willpower.  Somehow, though, this crucial fact got lost on the short trip from the front counter to the shampoo area, and I ended up being washed/conditioned as if I had straight, thin hair that required volumizing.  (I learned this later.) It gets worse.

A Bag Of Chives, A Bowl Of Plantains

Someone abandoned a “Garden In A Bag” in the lunchroom today. It’s basically a waterproof paper bag filled with soil and seeds that claims to be a stupidly easy way to grown your own fresh herbs. I picked it up and brought it home, with optimistic thoughts of fresh chives on mashed potatoes, but knowing how well the last plant did (poor dead “hardy vine”), we’ll see how this goes.

In other news, I finally got around to those two green plaintains sitting on my kitchen counter. I sliced and baked them, and enjoyed a bowlful of the crisp chips with a mug of Chrysanthemum tea, which is quickly becoming my favorite Ten Ren flavor.

This Is Appropriately Categorized As “Random”

Roll them bones.

“No use trying to fight it, you’re an eight-sided die, a d8. A fine example of simple elegance, the d8 is one of the least appreciated types of dice, and is often neglected. You are known to be quiet and shy, outward traits that conceal vicious sarcasm and mean wit. You are very smart, yet wise enough to hide your intelligence: the quicker they found out how smart you are, the sooner they’ll put you to work, which is something you can do without. People call you dark and pessimistic, or moody and cynical. You find little point in arguing.”

Yes.

I Came, I Saw, I… Looked Down And Begged To Be Allowed To Rappel Back To The Ground

Our team at work went rock climbing tonight at the Chelsea Piers sports complex.  I’ve climbed rock walls before, but only the 15′-20′ portable ones, or the awful inflatable kind (soft gray nylon pyramids covered with air-filled nubs that you can’t grip for anything).  What we faced tonight, though, was reportedly the largest indoor climbing surface in the Northeast, and while it didn’t look record-breakingly large at first, I realized how massive it was after my first ascent.  I was tremendously impressed with the seasoned climbers crawling upside down on the overhang–that takes some serious arm strength.  And guts.

In retrospect, we all made the mistake of tackling the easiest surfaces first, so that by the time we were ready to move onto the “hard” area, our limbs were quaking and worthless.  I climbed to the ceiling on my first go, but failed to get beyond the halfway mark on my next two attempts.  From the floor, you’re sure you can do it, but then you start climbing and suddenly you’re twenty feet off the ground, balancing on a couple of very small plastic handholds, and climbing higher feels like a bad idea.

I’m determined to come back, though–it was a decent workout, and I bet I could make it even more worthwhile if I wore stabilizing sheaths on my ruined wrists.  Stupid carpal tunnel syndrome.