Pssst. Pssst. Hey. Remember me? Ya. I used to write things here. Post photographs. Talk about things that have happened... things I remember... things I hope for... things I am proud of....things I like. Things I wore or scored at a really great price.....You know, nothing of real importance to anyone besides me... besides my elderly self who, I expect will look at this stuff and feel satisfied that my twenty...almost thirty something self took the time to share. So, I bet my 70 something self is asking, what have you been up to? Well, well, well. I have been up to business. The flower business, that is. Indianapolis hosted Super Bowl XLVI and I was privileged to be involved. There was a lot of preparation that went into it.... I even had to send Hayes to stay with his Grandparents' for two weeks so I was fully available to the shop. It worked out very well. I hope to go into detail about what that was like soon.... I know, you are thinking-ya right, you always say that, Paula, why do you never follow through? Well, because I am following through with making it to work, getting Hayes to school, getting him from school, feeding Hayes, entertaining Hayes, convincing Hayes he needs a nap, making dinner, taking care of household, taking care of husband, procrastinating....and so on and so forth. That really just scratches the surface. That is why I have neglected to share how rich my simple life has been.
So, in years past, I have usually begun the new year with promises of grand things to come, you know, the sort of thing that sets one up for failure? Well, this year, I missed the opportunity--so, Happy New Year and Happy Valentine's Day. 2012 has been good so far. Yet, there are so many stories I have missed telling.
One story is about how I never closed the door on my job at the Salon. I have wanted to talk about that for some time now. It was a whole year and more of my life. I loved working for my dear friend, Amber. She is really growing a great business and I was so happy to be a part of it. It was a job-- it was one where we bartered and traded. I was there with her three and four--sometimes five days a week....or evenings, actually. I loved spending time with the clients- I really got to know several pretty well. I really enjoyed being with Amber, too. We have been best friends since the sixth grade. Her family moved to my hometown the summer after 5th grade. When we met, my Mom was working the concession stand at the Catholic School Bingo night and her Mom was playing Bingo. My little sister and I loved to come with Mom to help and eat pickles....and nachos and cheese...not the hamburgers, though--those were pretty nasty. Anyway--the kids would usually run together outside as there was a playground...and really, because it was a small town-no one needed to be supervised.... Amber and I hit it off right away... and funny little story is--I love to tell this to her clients because it slightly embarrasses her and it is just plain funny.... I remember clearly: We were standing on the landing between two staircases just inside the outer doors of the Elementary School...downstairs, you could smell the second hand smoke and popcorn wafting up from the cafeteria and faint echoes of the Bingo caller projecting the combination of numbers and letters out to eager ears. Upstairs the light fell off as the halls were dark, cool and empty.... and not to mention incredibly creepy at that time of day (evening). I think Amber must have thought I needed some advise.... She said to me, "You know how to make your butt flatter?" I had never paid attention to my butt. I thought, "wow, so, flat butts are the thing" (and somewhere on a radio, Sir Mix-a-lot was rapping "I'm tired of magazines saying flat butts are the thing...") Well, actually, I was thinking "butts come in different shapes?" Oh, who am I kidding, I have no idea what I was actually thinking... that was twenty years ago. Anyway, I liked Amber right away, so, I was all ears when she was offering advice. She proceeded to demonstrate an exercise. She walked up to the wall, placed both hands, palms flat on the wall and did some leg lifts, heel outward. I tried it. We agreed that was a good exercise for flattening butts. It was working for her. It never worked for me...what can I say? Baby got back. Haha...well, that was the beginning of our friendship. We were mostly inseparable. Even in High School, there was a rumor going around that we were a lesbian couple. Doesn't every pair of best friends go through that? So close--there must be more to the story. Well, she and I have had some rocky times, too. I mean, of course, we fought-we knew well how to push each others' buttons. With time and age, we have learned how to better each other and work with each other to avoid those tipping points. Today, she is 36 weeks pregnant with her second boy. Her first boy is 9. She is going through an especially rough time because she is in the middle of a divorce, too. (I am not airing her dirty laundry, here... this woman has no secrets and has done no wrong.) Things happen, choices are made, people change or never change.... she will find freedom from her oppression-but it is a tough maze she is going through. I feel very guilty that I haven't been physically there for her. Not physically--maybe I mean literally. Yes, when I worked for her, I was there. I saw her everyday. If she needed something, all she had to do was say it... if she needed ears, mine were there for her words to enter. Now, I haven't seen her since just after Christmas. We have talked but-probably not enough. Something I am very very very excited about is-she asked me if I would like to help bring this baby boy into our world. To be in the delivery room with her!!!! (Well, okay, I sort of invited myself, first....offered my support) And then she formally asked me later. I am thrilled and honored. Also, I am flexible-because, she has every right to change her mind. I would be okay if suddenly, she decided not to have me in the room documenting the beginning of this very precious and special boy's life. For now, I am always at the ready, phone by my bed at night and at arms length in the day, for the phone call or text telling me at what dilation and effacement she is and to get down there. I am very much looking forward to it. I will do whatever she needs--she knows what a great assistant I make-so, I think all will go very well. So, in closing on this little story, I want to say how much I appreciate my time working for Amber in her salon, Chemically Dependent. I needed her help in that time as much as she needed mine. Really. I had been fired. I was depressed(I didn't know it until much later). I was used to being able to buy groceries without worrying about a tight budget... also, Christmas was possible because of my position with her......I felt like I had purpose outside of the home. I socialized. I took great care of her clients-made them feel good which made me feel good. Also, when she started her new business last summer, I created her logo... which was pretty satisfying. Any design stuff she needed, I was her gal--and as a creative, well, that means a great deal. Oh...and I learned a lot about hair, too. I had a year to observe her. She is a master-so, I picked up a lot of good information. Now, I can't just pick up and do the same thing--gosh, that takes much more skill and experience than I have.... but, I notice peoples' hair, now-where I never did before. Hell, I didn't notice my own hair--now I am quite aware of how awful it looks (because I haven't seen Amber in so long). I have a basic understanding of professional coloring....which means, I can color my own hair without worrying too much about what it will look like--I mostly know what it will look like.... Okay, I really could go on and on because it was such a great experience. I would still be helping her now, if I wasn't so involved with my current position... which I am also very grateful for....
Well, I know. This post is haphazard and all text. A lot of missing pieces. I guess that is why I have the rest of my life to post. I need to tell myself that-oh, then I would never post. Can you tell I am a little....uh, lost? My last day off was Super Bowl Sunday. I am ready for a day off. Sunday, maybe? After I volunteer my morning at the parish hall--the kids Mardi Gras party...where there will be gambling? I don't know--I just know this-I never can make it to Mass, so, I might as well help when I can. Oh, the guilt!!! I carry a lot of that.
Well, I am desperate to pull the trigger....make a post.....after more than two months. Even if it is all text and not all of the information I want to share to bring this platform up to date. At least I was able to finally write about (not even all I could write) my salon experience before any more time passed.
So, in years past, I have usually begun the new year with promises of grand things to come, you know, the sort of thing that sets one up for failure? Well, this year, I missed the opportunity--so, Happy New Year and Happy Valentine's Day. 2012 has been good so far. Yet, there are so many stories I have missed telling.
One story is about how I never closed the door on my job at the Salon. I have wanted to talk about that for some time now. It was a whole year and more of my life. I loved working for my dear friend, Amber. She is really growing a great business and I was so happy to be a part of it. It was a job-- it was one where we bartered and traded. I was there with her three and four--sometimes five days a week....or evenings, actually. I loved spending time with the clients- I really got to know several pretty well. I really enjoyed being with Amber, too. We have been best friends since the sixth grade. Her family moved to my hometown the summer after 5th grade. When we met, my Mom was working the concession stand at the Catholic School Bingo night and her Mom was playing Bingo. My little sister and I loved to come with Mom to help and eat pickles....and nachos and cheese...not the hamburgers, though--those were pretty nasty. Anyway--the kids would usually run together outside as there was a playground...and really, because it was a small town-no one needed to be supervised.... Amber and I hit it off right away... and funny little story is--I love to tell this to her clients because it slightly embarrasses her and it is just plain funny.... I remember clearly: We were standing on the landing between two staircases just inside the outer doors of the Elementary School...downstairs, you could smell the second hand smoke and popcorn wafting up from the cafeteria and faint echoes of the Bingo caller projecting the combination of numbers and letters out to eager ears. Upstairs the light fell off as the halls were dark, cool and empty.... and not to mention incredibly creepy at that time of day (evening). I think Amber must have thought I needed some advise.... She said to me, "You know how to make your butt flatter?" I had never paid attention to my butt. I thought, "wow, so, flat butts are the thing" (and somewhere on a radio, Sir Mix-a-lot was rapping "I'm tired of magazines saying flat butts are the thing...") Well, actually, I was thinking "butts come in different shapes?" Oh, who am I kidding, I have no idea what I was actually thinking... that was twenty years ago. Anyway, I liked Amber right away, so, I was all ears when she was offering advice. She proceeded to demonstrate an exercise. She walked up to the wall, placed both hands, palms flat on the wall and did some leg lifts, heel outward. I tried it. We agreed that was a good exercise for flattening butts. It was working for her. It never worked for me...what can I say? Baby got back. Haha...well, that was the beginning of our friendship. We were mostly inseparable. Even in High School, there was a rumor going around that we were a lesbian couple. Doesn't every pair of best friends go through that? So close--there must be more to the story. Well, she and I have had some rocky times, too. I mean, of course, we fought-we knew well how to push each others' buttons. With time and age, we have learned how to better each other and work with each other to avoid those tipping points. Today, she is 36 weeks pregnant with her second boy. Her first boy is 9. She is going through an especially rough time because she is in the middle of a divorce, too. (I am not airing her dirty laundry, here... this woman has no secrets and has done no wrong.) Things happen, choices are made, people change or never change.... she will find freedom from her oppression-but it is a tough maze she is going through. I feel very guilty that I haven't been physically there for her. Not physically--maybe I mean literally. Yes, when I worked for her, I was there. I saw her everyday. If she needed something, all she had to do was say it... if she needed ears, mine were there for her words to enter. Now, I haven't seen her since just after Christmas. We have talked but-probably not enough. Something I am very very very excited about is-she asked me if I would like to help bring this baby boy into our world. To be in the delivery room with her!!!! (Well, okay, I sort of invited myself, first....offered my support) And then she formally asked me later. I am thrilled and honored. Also, I am flexible-because, she has every right to change her mind. I would be okay if suddenly, she decided not to have me in the room documenting the beginning of this very precious and special boy's life. For now, I am always at the ready, phone by my bed at night and at arms length in the day, for the phone call or text telling me at what dilation and effacement she is and to get down there. I am very much looking forward to it. I will do whatever she needs--she knows what a great assistant I make-so, I think all will go very well. So, in closing on this little story, I want to say how much I appreciate my time working for Amber in her salon, Chemically Dependent. I needed her help in that time as much as she needed mine. Really. I had been fired. I was depressed(I didn't know it until much later). I was used to being able to buy groceries without worrying about a tight budget... also, Christmas was possible because of my position with her......I felt like I had purpose outside of the home. I socialized. I took great care of her clients-made them feel good which made me feel good. Also, when she started her new business last summer, I created her logo... which was pretty satisfying. Any design stuff she needed, I was her gal--and as a creative, well, that means a great deal. Oh...and I learned a lot about hair, too. I had a year to observe her. She is a master-so, I picked up a lot of good information. Now, I can't just pick up and do the same thing--gosh, that takes much more skill and experience than I have.... but, I notice peoples' hair, now-where I never did before. Hell, I didn't notice my own hair--now I am quite aware of how awful it looks (because I haven't seen Amber in so long). I have a basic understanding of professional coloring....which means, I can color my own hair without worrying too much about what it will look like--I mostly know what it will look like.... Okay, I really could go on and on because it was such a great experience. I would still be helping her now, if I wasn't so involved with my current position... which I am also very grateful for....
Well, I know. This post is haphazard and all text. A lot of missing pieces. I guess that is why I have the rest of my life to post. I need to tell myself that-oh, then I would never post. Can you tell I am a little....uh, lost? My last day off was Super Bowl Sunday. I am ready for a day off. Sunday, maybe? After I volunteer my morning at the parish hall--the kids Mardi Gras party...where there will be gambling? I don't know--I just know this-I never can make it to Mass, so, I might as well help when I can. Oh, the guilt!!! I carry a lot of that.
Well, I am desperate to pull the trigger....make a post.....after more than two months. Even if it is all text and not all of the information I want to share to bring this platform up to date. At least I was able to finally write about (not even all I could write) my salon experience before any more time passed.
1 comment:
I am so happy Super Bowl turned out well! I also hope that everything goes well with Amber! Welcoming a new baby into the world is such an amazing experience! And honestly, I am thrilled that you found time in your busy life to update because you have awesome insight and I love your 'you-ness'...I don't think that is a word, but it's there anyway haha. P.s. It was awesome to see you a few weeks ago!
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