Set the first meeting

I just made the first appointment for the first step of this journey to discover and develop what is easily one of the most important relationships a woman will ever have - that with her hairdresser.

My criteria for a hairdresser:
1) Must be geographically close by
2) Must be available within a couple days (for basic cuts)
3) Needs to be reasonably priced
4) Needs to know how to layer properly and in a natural way*
5) Preferably knows something about curly hair.
6) Someone who can read and understand me, and my hair, and the complex relationship my hair and I have as we lead our independent, but extremely inter-related existences. (This one might be a bit harder to find, I admit)

I spent the last 3 years of life in my previous city looking for a hairdresser (my old one moved across town and the 25 minute drive, and her week long wait times made her "completely unaccessible (inaccessible? unaccessible?)" to me - especially given my need to have my hair cut within about 3 hours of deciding to cut it. Because I only cut it every 4-6 months, as soon as I decide it's bothering me, it needs to be cut RIGHT NOW, if not sooner. The fact that, I decided 3 weeks ago it needed to be cut and it hasn't been yet is a testament to the difficulty in finding the courage to put yourself out there and turn yourself over to a complete stranger - well that, and, an obvious sign that despite my attempts so far this year, my new year's resolution of getting my life under control isn't really working :p, but I digress). I moved out of town. Went back for Christmas. Went to a salon with my sister because she needed moral support to get her hair coloured. So I had to get my highlighted. Of course, after searching for 3 years in vain, I found the perfect hairstylist, who gave me the most amazing cut EVER, after I had moved out of the city. Lovely.

So, even though I've lived here 1.5 years, I still have no hairstylist. (I have no doctor or dentist either, but obviously getting a hairstylist is more important. :p) Last summer, in an impulse moment I went to a random salon in the mall and had some girl cut my hair and while it wasn't a tragedy, it certainly wasn't anything I would call "good". Someone else is required.

I've also been a bit nervous about finding a hairdresser here because I look around at some of the hair hack jobs* in this town, and, well, I actually honestly get scared. So I knew I had to carefully seek out recommendations.

Started with a coworker's wife. Lovely hair. She recommends her salon. I spend several weeks attempting to call, attempting to stop by on weekends, attempting to get an appointment. (I, of course, never call during the day, only evenings and weekends). The place is never open. I finally come to the conclusion that, as much as I would like to try the place, it certainly doesn't seem to fit my life. I can't be taking off work every time I need my hair cut.

So I was lost again. Until, one day, I was talking to a coworker in the hallway and she mentioned how long my hair was getting and how it looked good. I mentioned that it desperately needed to be cut. She asked who I go to. I told her how I was lost and confused. She gave me the name of her hairdresser. I thought, this one has potential! Coworker has curly hair! Coworker has lovely style, great layers and pretty, natural looking colour! Mentions hairdresser is a bit expensive, but is worth it. After some of the stuff I've seen, I'm willing to take my chances on the price and give it a shot.

So I called this morning for an appointment. It's Tuesday at 5:30. I'm excited. Yet nervous. It's a small step and yet a big one. Is this the one? Could this be the beginning of something beautiful and long-lasting? And yet, I don't want to put too much pressure on this one meeting. There are other fish in the sea. It's just that I've been waiting for this for so long, it's hard to keep the butterflies in check. Allowing someone to take scissors to your hair, even just once, is a big commitment. I think, though, I will find my cutest hair accessory, pull my hair up for the next 4 days, and just enjoy the excitement as I contemplate what the future may hold.

*It's as if there's a blind hairstylist out there layering by grabbing handfuls of hair and chopping a straight line across the bottom, at different lengths, and calling that layering! So that the hair looks like farmland on a hill that has been terraced to prevent erosion! It's horrific! As part of my civic duty I feel like I need to find this hairdresser and stop this behaviour immediately!