I Can Has New Haircut?

A few weeks ago I got a haircut, and it wasn't just an ordinary haircut, but I actually changed the hairstyle.

This was a pretty big move, as I've had basically the same haircut for about 10 years. Everyone I've ever met in college and in New York has known me with what has been described as an unintentional "Elvis Costello pompadour."

So now my hair goes down instead of up, and the results have been quite drastic. The first few people I saw didn't even recognize me - it took a literal double-take to realize I was the same ol' Kirk. That's ridiculous.

Reactions, though, have been mostly positive. The same person quoted above said I now resemble "an Internet millionaire."

My own reaction has been "meh." I've never had any idea known what to do with my hair - when I was a little kid, I chopped a big triangle in my bangs because I thought I needed a haircut, and that led to me parting my hair down the middle for many more years than I should've.

And at the risk of sounding like a slob, despite being painfully handsome, I've never put too much thought into my appearance. I've grown beards and moustaches for months at a time, knowing full well that they look awful, because, eh, what the hell, who cares?

In fact, I had a moustache when I started this job (it's immortalized in my employee ID), and when I finally got rid of the bastard, everyone was shocked. It made me laugh, because that meant they had no idea what I really looked like for all those months.

Anyway, I'm going back for a trim on Friday, as the back is getting shaggy. I'll continue to leave my hair down, and this time I'm gonna "yes...and" (to use an improv term) things by also dying my hair.

I started going gray when I was a teenager, and though I think gray hair is very striking and wonderful, I keep forgetting that a LOT isn't visible from the mirror. At this year's Memorial Day picnic, when Terry saw me in sunlight for what might have been the first time ever, he was quite surprised by how gray I was.

I also haven't dyed my hair since I was 17 and an idiot and made it dark blue, so it might be a fun experience. And I know it'll go away after a while and I'll have my precious silver strands again.

Another "eh, what the hell" decision. Year of Yes... right?

Yoga Mondays ARE Back.

I just dropped off my check.

Sarah had expressed interest in taking it this time around, but I didn't want that to let that affect my decision. Like, I didn't wanna sign up just because she was, it'd be too much like a crutch.

If I'm gonna do yoga, I have to be willing to do it alone.

So I decided, yeah, I'll sign up again, why not? And it turns out she signed up too, so hopefully Sarah will help me remember to bring my equivalent of yoga pants every Monday.

Year of Pants!

Yoga Mondays are Back! (Maybe)

My job is offering another set of Yoga classes starting next Monday. At first, I was like, "Eff that," since the last session was a dismal failure (I only went to two out of seven classes), but that's sort of a good reason to sign up again.

Especially since, as the email states, I "want to reduce stress, tone [my] muscles, become stronger, and improve [my] overall health wellness."

Also, the classes run through the dog days of summer, and the longer I can stay in this highly air conditioned office, the better.

I have three days to think about it, so we'll see.

Maine Recap

Maine was a lot of fun!

Outlet malls... yes!

Ice cream parlor... yes!

Beech Hill... yes!

LL Bean... yes!

Groundhogs... no.

Damn it.

Road Trip

Sarah and I are driving up to Maine this weekend, and I'm pretty psyched.

I don't often get to leave the city on vacations like this, I've really only taken two road trips in the five years I've lived here - one was a million-hour drive to Toronto for an improv festival, and the other was a wedding up in the Catskills.

It's weird to think I haven't driven a car since... 2005? That can't be right.

Anyway, I'm psyched! I've never been to Maine, so I don't know what to expect, but I've been told there are outlet malls and an ice cream parlor and a hill and LL Bean and groundhogs.

So we'll see how that turns out. I really want to see a groundhog.

The Answer to the Ultimate Dilemma

I ended up going to Terry's. Year of Yes.

It didn't feel that hot outside, and the WHO episodes were awesome. Well done, Steven Moffat, you got me to make a face of shocked dismay that caused Terry to laugh.

Also, I ordered a portable air conditioner for my room, since the bars on my window prevent me from installing a regular one. Year of Yes!

The Ultimate Dilemma

It's 90 degrees outside, it's 12:30 p.m., and it's just gonna get worse.

There's something you ought to know about me - far greater than my hatred of rain is my hatred of the heat. It's part of the reason why I left Florida. I hate the heat so much, and can't stand to be sweaty unless it's for a worthwhile reason.

So right now I'm in my room with the window open, the blinds drawn, and my fan on medium, and it's pretty comfortable. I don't have an air conditioner and can't install one because there are bars over my window. I've been thinking of buying a portable AC, but the weather hasn't warranted it... yet.

Which brings me to this ultimate Year of Yes dilemma. Do I hide indoors all day, like I did yesterday, until the sun is mostly down? Or do I brave the blazing heat for a double-feature of Doctor Who at Terry's house?

A weekly group viewing is usually one of my favorite things, but we haven't met in a while. Most of this season's episodes have been solo viewings on YouTube instead of on Terry's enormous television with the WHO Crew. And I do miss everyone. TV is more fun when it's an experience, not when you're by yourself. Also, these two episodes are supposed to be terrific.

I love Doctor Who, quite frankly, but I hate the heat.

Which one will win?

30-Second Rule

A bit of wisdom I heard years ago is the 30-Second Rule, which says that if you can do something within 30 seconds, you should do it immediately instead of procrastinating.

It's actually really hard to follow, especially if you love being lazy, but something I've been doing this week, and I hope to keep up with, is making the bed.

In truth, I feel making the bed is an exercise in futility, because it'll be slept in within the day, but it DOES make the room look nicer, and even if I get nothing else done with my day, at least I've made the bed.

This line of thinking has actually made me feel better about myself, as after getting that one major accomplishment done, I can sit back and take it easy. And if I can do such a difficult task while still half-asleep, there's nothing I can't do.

NOTHING!

Yoga: Fail.

Once again, I forgot my pants.

I think this might have been the final week of class, too.