Hair

I got my hair cut today.  Not really worth noting, but yet in a way, it is.  I went from having very long hair (down to the middle of my back) to shortish hair (level to my ears.) I've been letting it grow for probably five or six years, but I realized a few weeks ago that I never wore my long hair down. I always pulled it up into a bun or a ponytail. It seemed silly to be maintaining all that hair and never displaying it, so I thought it would be nice to have some of it lopped off.  I didn't plan to get THAT much cut off, but the stylist misunderstood my request and only glanced at the photo I brought.  When she made the first cut, it was too late to stop her.  I was pretty upset at first but after a few hours, I started to think that it looks okay. AND it will grow again, so I'm trying not to fuss about it.
I lived in London for a college semester. My friend got his hair buzzcut at the now defunct Kensington Market, and one day on a whim, I got the same cut. I loved it.  It was a breeze to take care of, and struck me as very hip.  I was interning at Melody Maker Magazine, and I wanted to fit in with the music journalists who buzzed in and out of the office. The only drawback was when I was constantly called "Sir" by shop clerks.  That's kind of rough on a young woman's self esteem.  I grew it out before I came home, so I wouldn't give my parents a stroke, but I do have fond memories of it.
My whole life, I've only taken sporadic interest in my hair. This has driven some of my girly-girl friend insane, but I do get bored talking about products and procedures, and I can think of a thousand different things that I could do with the $75 many women plunk down at a hair salon.  I take my chances with SuperCuts, come what may. I have also, in the past, butchered my hair with expired hair dye, purchased at swap meets for $2, with a wide range of results, from movie star glamorous to Muppet nightmare. I'm lucky I don't look like Curly from the Three Stooges.
I actually like the color of my hair; it's brown with gold and red highlights in the sun.  It's baby-fine and prone to soft curls. Over the last few years, some strands of gray have started to creep in.  The first one I spotted rocked my world a little, but after that, I was fine with it. I've always pictured having long, silver hair when I'm an old woman, like Georgia O'Keeffe.  I like the look of gray hair and I'm going to let it come as it will, because I can't bear the idea of becoming a slave to the colorist.  I know gray hair denotes old age, but it also denotes wisdom, theoretically.  I think I've got a few years until I'm all gray, so a short haircut is a nice change.  I may feel differently after the first time I'm called "Sir".