Long Beautiful Hair

At this point in my life I have resigned myself to people thinking I'm much, much younger than my 23 (soon to be 24, ugh vom) years. On election day, an old woman stopped my sister and me to say, "HOW OLD ARE YOU? YOU'RE NOT OLD ENOUGH TO VOTE!" This is probably due to the combination of big, childlike eyes, a round butterball face, and long long stringy hair. I think short hair is the ultimate ager; look at Suri Cruise. She could pass for three at least.

Add to that the fact that my hair is irreperably damaged from The Perm (my advice on getting a perm: don't), and it's like a perfect storm of Reasons to Cut My Hair. But I've had long hair ever since 8th grade, and after 10 years together (already?) my hair has become a security blanket, a pet. Jealous girls always comment; they cut off their hair based on fashion's vagaries. I keep my hair long because I am neurotic and assign great meaning to objects.

I gotta say though, that people who cut and straighten their hair to perfect right angles, shiny like obelisks, hair curtains for their frail eyes, probably almost never have sex, because you would have to run immediately to the bathroom afterward to restraighten and aqua net. That's why you can have Louise Brooks, but I'll take Clara Bow. Maybe it's just my own wishful thinking, but I think we share features: the frizzy, wavy hair (obvi), big goggle eyes rolling around in our round skulls, Cupid's bow (politically correct parlance for small) lips.





This was my last haircut before The Perm. Clearly, the Selma Blair/hydrocephalic infant look was in at the time.