Thankfulness

I'm thankful that I'm able to pursue my dream. I'm thankful for my supportive husband. I'm thankful for the friends and family, and ex-collegues, acquaintances, and strangers who are reading this blog and cheering me on. I hope that I'm helping you see that you can make your dream happen. I'm thankful that I'm not upsidedown in my mortgage, that we've only had to cut back on luxuries and not necessities. (Okay, so going to Colonial Williamsburg for Thanksgiving was not a necessity -- occasionally we do backslide.)

Many of you, dear friends and readers, email, text or IM me about something I've posted here. Please feel free to comment within the blog itself. Even if it's a general observation, comment or story that does not pertain to a particular post. Go ahead and leave it as a "comment." That's one of the strongest features of the "blogging thing." It's a conversation. If you want to have lunch, or invite me to your cookie exchange or just catch up, of course you should call, IM, text, or email me. I love to hear from you. But if you've got something to share about anything you've seen or read here, on "Hair-Do," -- please "comment" here. I'm pretty sure that everyone reading this is as interested in your observations as they are mine.

Pursuing an alternate career is a long journey. A journey that starts out as an intellectual and emotional one. You know when you're in that meeting, or that job interview, where you're asked "If you weren't doing this, what would you be doing?" Think about it. Fo real!

Coming Out 2

About a month ago I started to come out about going to beauty school. At first I was almost embarrassed, but then slowly I started to tell friends, neighbors, ex-collegues, then people I hardly knew. "Follow the blog" I say. The support has been tremendous. But until this week, I had not come out the other way. No one at school knew anything about my life or former career. (For all they knew I could have been away.) Then on Monday we had a business math class.

Even the teacher was getting a little stumped on how to get the answer; so I sort of took over. After I started explaining how to do the first problem, Tiara and Jess both moved over to sit next to me. "Miss Cynthia, how you know how to do this so good?" My simple answer was "I was in business my whole life. I know how to to business math; ... but don't ask me to do algebra." That afternoon, a teacher from another class asked "What did you do before this?" She had asked me before and I'd always answered "I worked in an ad agency." But this time she was looking for more -- I think because of the earlier math class. So I just came out with it " I was a vice-president at an ad agency. I dealt with the clients. For most of my life I lived in New York and worked in a really big agency there." Then I rattled off some of the campaigns I'd worked on that I was sure she'd recognize. This information got around faster than what had made Asia go away.

Surprisingly, the support has been just as strong on this side. I think because everyone in the school is on a journey to fulfill a dream. We're all working to that same goal; no matter what our background, where we came from, or where we are now.

Later in the afternoon when we were working on the relaxers, Aimee (whom btw is 36 and has two kids in college), asked "Miss Cynthia, when you going to come out with us?" I said "Aimee, I am way too scared to go out with you guys. I gotta work up to that."

So Different

I'm a three minute drive from my house but it's like I flew twenty hours and landed in a completely different culture. It is SO interesting. I could have gone to the Aveda school -- with the other upscale college graduates. But the program is ridged and there is no part-time program. Then there was the Redken school; with a middle class/upper middle class student body. But they don't offer a part-time program or rolling admission. So I'm with the Sista's at Western Hills. The Administration are very flexible, and forgiving on attendance (in case I have interviews, networking events, etc); and the rolling admissions let me dive right in. Immediately I am actually getting to work on hair and can see that there's a lot to learn. Because of the flexible structure, students get a lot of individual attention. Which I desperately need. I'm doing great on the book learning; but when it comes to doing the hair I have NO IDEA. It's the opposite for the girls that started with me -- they've been doing hair since they could walk and are awesome at it. (But are nervous about the academics.)

Last night I got a email requesting an interview for an ad job. They want to see me Friday or Monday in Lousiville (main office). A friend recommended me for this position and they got all excited by me resume. The job description sounded like a good fit. I very conflicted --- thinking that after just two days I'd be a beauty school drop out. Even though I'd move to the part-time program if I were able to actually get another "big" job. When I read to the end of the two page job description and got to the salary range I discovered that the compensation is less than half of what I was making at my last "big" job. I still might go on the interview though; you never know.

Quote of the day (from yesterday): "When I was incarcerated I had braids, 'cause you can't keep no weave in there." I heard this as I was quietly working on my color wheel -- and I'm thinking "Did I hear that right?!"

Am working on getting RSS feed and twitter updates and will post more amazing/funny/interesting stuff. There is a TON of it. But wanted to get the background down today.