Politics and religion...two things that should NEVER be mixed.

The 2016 campaign season is upon us.  With the first GOP debate last night, the pundits are already clamoring about who stands for what and who is the front runner.  I didn't watch the debates last night but I have been reading all the articles discussing who had the best zingers, one liners and applause-getting statements.  In nearly every article I have read, it seems that most of the GOP contenders mentioned God or their faith at least once.  I also know that these candidates know their audience...conservative, predominantly white, middle class, Bible belt Christians.  With that being said, I am appalled at the ignorance of these people.  I say 'ignorance' not in a mean, spiteful way, but more as a lack of knowledge way.  The majority of Conservatives value and cherish their individual freedoms and liberty, so when I hear these 'freedom loving Conservatives' clamoring on about faith and god, it makes me shake my head and think...you don't understand true freedom.  These candidates want to 'lead according to what God directs'...but they are treading a dangerous road by even saying such a thing.

When our founding fathers came to draw up the papers of the Declaration of Independence, and eventual Constitution of this great nation, they were very specific about the 'freedom of religion'.  Thomas Jefferson is quoted as saying, "believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should 'make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof', thus building a wall of separation between Church and State."  Jefferson and others knew that in their position of leading the country, they most definitely could NOT impose their PERSONAL beliefs regarding faith into decisions made for the entire country.  Behavior like this may seem harmless at the start, but before long we are living in a monotheist country.

Thomas Paine, author of Common Sense and Age of Reason, also a founding father, saw the dangers of imposing religion upon the citizens of this new Republic.  He is quoted as saying, "Persecution is not an original feature in any religion; but it is always the strongly marked feature of all religions established by law."  He knew that any sort of religion mandated by the government or law would obviously be tyrannical.  "Mingling religion with politics may be disavowed and re probated by every inhabitant of America."  He knew, even then that it is dangerous and ill advised to govern the country with any sort of religious leaning.  If we value our freedoms and liberty at all, we need to stand up against any potential leader who tries to govern from a faith based initiative.

Sam Harris, a well known neurosurgeon and avid Atheist, is quoted as saying, "we live in a country in which a person cannot get elected president if he/she openly doubts the existence of heaven and hell....in our next presidential election, an actor who reads his Bible would almost certainly defeat a rocket scientist who does not.  Could there be any clearer indication that we are allowing unreason and other-worldliness to govern our affairs?"  He hits the nail on the head.  We are all so ingrained with the notion that morals come from god or faith...and that if the leader of our country has faith or governs by the bible, this is a good thing.  If a potential president has his faith or beliefs, that is his/her prerogative, but it becomes all of our problem if he/she makes governing decisions based upon that said belief.  The faithful are quick to shout, "Freedom of religion!" but what about "Freedom FROM religion"??  I do believe our founding fathers had BOTH in mind when forging the guidelines for our Republic, but so many do not see it this way.  So many feel that in order to have a strong, free country, we must include a god or faith based doctrine.

We as voters, need to be educated on our freedoms and ever vigilant to protect them ALL, even if it means protecting freedoms of one who may believe differently than you.  And with that,  I will end with a quote by James Madison, in A Memorial and Remonstrance, "What influence, in fact, have ecclesiastical establishments had on society?  In some instances they have been seen to erect a spiritual tyranny on the ruins of the civil authority; on many instances they have been seen upholding the thrones of political tyranny; in no instance have they been guardians of the liberties of the people.  Rulers who wish to subvert the public liberty may have found an established clergy convenient auxiliaries.  A just government, instituted to secure and perpetuate it, needs them not."

Golden Gate City

San Francisco, California!! Gold Rush!! 

I set out to plan an Anniversary trip for Andrew and I and I knew with it being July, I didn't want to go anywhere blisteringly hot.  I had narrowed my search down between Seattle and San Francisco...both great options, both places we had expressed a desire to visit.  So, the final decision came to $.  Which was the best value and I am happy to report that San Francisco was the better value by over $300 per person!!

I booked our trip through Expedia.com and I was able to book our flight and hotel together and by bundling them together I saved $200+ per person.  Expedia and other similar sites usually have great deals when bundling flight and hotel together.  Be sure to do your research though, I compared flights separately and rooms separately and the best value for this trip was to bundle.

Upon landing in San Francisco, our first reaction was...whew, it is chilly!!  The city sits on the bay and it gets the cooler air from the Pacific and it seems that the cool air settles in the bay.  To be honest, it felt amazing for July 4th weekend!!

We had an amazing hotel located right on the bay.  We were not far from the airport so we had a great view of the planes landing and taking off.  If it was warm enough, we had breakfast each morning out on the patio and enjoyed the lapping of the bay against the rocks and the view of the planes.  If it was early enough, we also had the pleasure of watching the fog roll over the hillside from the Pacific into the Bay, then by mid day the fog would all be gone.  Evening time rolls around, and the fog is back.  It created a surreal atmosphere, otherworldly almost.  I have to say, the weather was my tops in my book!

"I travel because I would rather see something once than read about it a thousand times."
 -Steven Manson

On our actual anniversary, we booked a Twilight Tour of the City, which for us was great since we had no car.  We caught a bus at our hotel and from then relaxed and let someone else do the driving!  We were able to see all the major sites of San Francisco and not worry about traffic or parking or STRESS!  Normally I'm not a fan of structured tours, but this was a great way to see the high points and do it in a relatively stress free environment.  Our tour guide was amazing!  He was a 30+ year native so he had tons of great side stories to tell during the tour!


A tradition of ours when we do travel is we always enjoy visiting and watching a baseball game, if in season.  We were lucky as the Oakland Athletics were home during our visit!  We decided to walk a few blocks from our hotel, catch the BART, bart.gov ( San Francisco/Oakland area mass transit) and ride across the bay to Oakland.  Riding any sort of mass transit can be scary at first, but once you have ridden in a couple different cities, you come to realize that they are all very similar in layout and procedure.  We had a nice ride and it was kind of neat because our train traveled underneath the bay.  We had a great afternoon for our baseball game and Oakland won!!  Adding these sorts of adventures always make for a more memorable trip.  We can mark O Coliseum off our list of MLB parks we have visited! O.co

On our journey home we had some unexpected delays at the airport thereby causing us to miss our connection flight from Phoenix back to St. Louis.  When these unexpected things happen, its always best to just relax and know that its not worth getting all stressed out about.  We ended up getting booked on the 'red eye' flight out of Phoenix and as a happy bonus, the airline upgraded us to first class.  Neither one of us had ever flown first class so this was fun for us, even in the wee hours of the night!

Our adventure to San Francisco was a long weekend trip and it proved to us that we didn't need to spend an exorbitant amount of money or spend weeks away to have a memorable and enjoyable time! Always look for those shorter weekend getaways and take advantage of them.  Sometimes you just need a break and change of scenery, and weekend trip is perfect for that!

Keep exploring and traveling friends...and remember  "discovery consists not in seeking new lands but in seeing with new eyes."  -Marcel Proust

Travel on a Shoestring Budget

There are great ways to see great sites without spending a fortune.  When I was planning my trip to London, I decided to make the journey approximately 7 weeks ahead.  I stumbled across the first tip by happy accident.  By booking your flight within the 6-8 week window, you can save hundreds off the ticket price.  I was able to save nearly $200 on my flight alone and at the time, I didn't even realize this trick!

When I booked my trip, I wanted it to be a birthday trip and my birthday is in November, so I wanted my trip then.  Again, I happened upon another travel tip by accident.  November-February is typically known as "off peak" travel season to Europe.  There are less travelers during this time and costs are lower for travel.  The weather can be tricky, so plan accordingly and watch the weather leading up to the travel dates.  All of these reasons can equal a great and inexpensive time to travel to Europe.  

In preparing for my trip, I knew I wanted to keep costs low so I was trying to figure out ways to see as much for as little as much.  I also knew I wanted to see how the English lived and I knew I might not get to see and experience that as well by staying in a hotel.  So, I did some extensive research into hostels and room lets...my research led me to airbnb.com.  With this site, a traveler can book just a room or the entire home/flat.  The site allows travelers to filter out by price, size, amount of travelers, travel dates, etc.  I was able to find a perfect attic room in a flat that was only a few blocks from an Underground station within the Greater London area. In my arrangement, I had full access to the kitchen, and bathroom.  I was given two keys and could come and go as if it were my own home.  The best part with this site is that it can be very inexpensive.  I was able to book my lodging for 6 days/ 5 nights for under $400 total.  This was a huge savings to my overall travel budget!  In future travels I will most definitely use this site. I had a great experience and would recommend all travelers on any kind of budget to check this site out before settling with a hotel.

In my trip, I planned on using public transportation so I knew I needed more information and best pricing options.  I wanted to travel throughout London via the Underground so I researched the best way to access the tube, pricing, etc. I found visitbritain.com and there I was able to purchase a prepaid Oyster card for visitors to access the Underground.  By purchasing a prepaid card, I saved money each time I swiped my card.  Instead of paying $8 per trip, I only paid $4.  The underground system in London is extensive and navigating it can seem intimidating, but like anything, after a few times riding, you get used to where to stand, sit, etc.  

When traveling via trains in Europe and Great Britain, there are some times that tickets cost more than other times.  For example, peak time in London is from 7 am- 9 am and  4 pm- 7 pm Monday through Friday, therefore ticket prices are higher.  Great Britain has regional trains that have separate websites to purchase train tickets.  These sites are usually easy to navigate and purchasing tickets is simple.  The rest of greater Europe has rail passes available for 4 countries at a time, or a global pass.  There are some restrictions with these passes as well.  And in some cases, depending on the nature of your travel, you may want to purchase tickets at the stations.  By doing this, the traveling still has some spontaneity feel to it.  Be sure to check the prices of the rail pass versus pay as you go tickets in order to get the best price.  Raileurope.com is the place to price tickets and passes.  

I knew when traveling to Great Britain, I would need to exchange money so again, I researched the best options for this as well.  I discovered that exchanging my money here would save me in exchange rates and commission fees.  I live in a very small town, so I first called all the local banks and some do monetary exchanges and some don't, so be sure to do your research before assuming your bank does this.  Some banks only offer this service to those who are customers as well.  Travelex.com is who I went with to exchange my money.  I conducted the entire transaction online, with no transaction fees and was able to pick up my money at the airport as I was leaving the country.  This site can do transactions within 24 hours which is nice for those last minute trips or those oops moments when money exchange is forgotten!

I hope this entry has been informative and has given some tips and money saving ideas that will help you make travel more attainable and realistic.  In closing I must give one last great site that I visit daily is ricksteves.com.  He has travel shows and numerous travel tips for traveling Europe.  His site is very organized and easy to navigate and will give tips and pointers that most novice travelers are unaware of.  He is my inspiration for travel, blogging, and showing just how fulfilling travel can be!  

"Fill Your Life with Experiences, Not Things.  Have Stories to Tell, Not Stuff to Show."  

To Travel or Not to Travel....That is the Question

Travel.  To most of us this can mean very different things.  Travel for work, travel for pleasure, travel for family, or even travel for relocation.

Whatever it means to you, travel for me means a renewing in my soul....it means a refreshed outlook on the world...it means adventure.

"Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer"  

It is almost cliche to say, 'I want to travel more'...what does that mean to you?  How do you plan on traveling more?  How far do you plan to travel?  These questions must be answered before embarking on any travel adventure.  My goal with this blog is to help you figure out that best ways to make travel a part of your life; big or small.

First things first.  How do you plan on traveling more?  Before you can answer this, you need to take a look at your own personal schedule, whether it be work or family life or both.  Do you work a Monday-Friday job with weekends off?  Do you work shift work?  Do you have designated time off for vacation?  Do you have small children that may or may not fit into your travel adventure?  Once you take a long hard look at your schedule with work and life, you can then determine how you can travel more.  You can find those extended weekends, or four day blocks that you can set aside time to take an adventure.

Okay, now you have taken a look at your schedule and decided when and how you can fit in more travel time.  It may be small at first, but that is alright, you must work within your given parameters and enjoy what you have. Once you make the conscious decision to make travel a part of your life, the time will begin to open up, you will reassign priorities and travel will become that large piece you desire.

Now that you have a block of time that you can designate for travel, how far do you plan to travel?  Where do you want to go??  This step can be the most fun and the most stressful at the same time.  If you are on a strict travel budget, the best idea is think small and go up from.  If you have never ventured outside the country, and want to go international, it is best to ease into it rather than go all out.  A trip to England is a far better choice for a first international trip than a trip to Istanbul.  The sites, sounds, language barrier could be too overwhelming for a novice international traveler...but a trip to England can be a great way to get accustom to international travel without seeming too much too soon.

In choosing where you want to go, think of things you are interested in seeing and doing.  Are you an outdoorsy type?  Are you a history buff?  Do you enjoy trying new, different foods? Are you traveling solo, with a partner or with a large group?  Do you want spontaneity in your travel or would you rather stick to an itinerary?  Once you have gone through these basic questions, you can then begin the in-depth research of your chosen location.

In my next blog, I will discuss budget.  I quickly touched on budget in the determination phase of adding travel, but the next entry will solely be on budget and how you can feasibly see the world on a shoestring budget.

Open your mind and explore the places you want to see and experience!  This life is all we have, make it a great one....see...do...explore!!  The world truly can be your oyster!

Love is in the Air.....or something like that.

The all important holiday for lovers is upon us....what holiday is that you ask???  Well, Valentine's Day of course!!  This is a holiday of flowers, chocolates, sappy cards, jewelry and other such things.  I've never gotten into the hype that is Valentine's Day.  My feeling is that I want to tell my loved ones how I feel EVERY day of the year, not just one.  The hardcore Valentine celebrators will tell you that its a holiday celebrating love and devoting only one day isn't what the underlying message is about.  Really?  Hmmm...

In my own personal experience, love isn't always the pretty, flowery, butterfly feeling we see in the movies.  Love can be ugly, harsh, unyielding, insane, irrational and gut-wrenching.  I've felt all of those things while in love or while experiencing love.  At the end of the day, I want someone who truly loves me BECAUSE of those things...because it can be harsh, unyielding, irrational and ugly at times.  This is the true definition of love to me.  We need to get that perfect idea of 'movie love' out of our heads and realize that true love is hardly 'movie love'.  As women, from a very young age, we set ourselves up to think that 'movie love' is how love is.  We think that if its not 'movie love' then it can't possibly be love.  The real, smack you right between the eyes, ugly love is the type of love we usually experience and sadly throw away when it gets ugly or isn't 'flowery' enough.  We need to start fighting for love.  All types of love.  Did you get that????  ALL types of love!!  Just because the love two people share isn't the same as the love you and your significant other share, doesn't make it less love.  We need to stand up for love and know and understand that loving someone can really impact their lives in so many ways.  

So, in the spirit of Valentine's Day, spread a little bit of love ALL year to EVERY body.  If we are kind and loving, there's not much we can't accomplish in this life of ours.  Our own moods will improve, we will gain an extra spring in our step, smile a bit more, just from sharing love.  Lets try it.  Maybe you actually make eye contact with the girl working at the check out lane and give her an honest smile...or maybe you say a heartfelt 'thank you' to the postal worker trudging through the snow to deliver your mail....or better yet, hug your kids and significant other a little tighter and longer.  Let's face it, when we strip down everything...all our possessions, money, etc...we are just a group of raw, emotional human beings who need love and acceptance.  I challenge everyone during this week of love, share a bit of love with those around you.  See what happens.  I know everyone loves to hear those 'pay it forward' stories, how about a 'love it forward' story instead.  You never know, that smile you give or that love you share, may be the ONLY love someone receives.  All you need is love...Love is all you need.  Well said John, Ringo, George and Paul. Well said.

Let Us Be Bold...

So Monday I made an abrupt change in my hair style.  I am now the proud owner of a mo hawk.  I had my husband do the cutting for me and he did great!!  The interesting thing now is that the comments I am receiving all center around this idea that I'm a brave soul for making such a drastic change.  Or...you are one of the few people who can really wear that hairstyle.... I began to wonder about what it means to be 'bold'.

The day after cutting my 'bold' haircut, I received the neatest text message from a friend.  The e-card said, "Be BOLD, Italic, but never Regular."  She stated that she loved me and our friendship because I helped her to be 'bold'.

Now...I'm really curious about boldness and what it truly means to be bold.  Is it an attitude?  Is it an actual personality trait?  Is it something that can be taught??  Let's see what Wikipedia says..  Wikipedia defines boldness as the opposite of being shy, courage.

All I do know for sure is that I am to the point in my life that I feel it is unnecessary to worry what others think of my hair or my outfit or whatever.  I've discovered that 9 times out of 10 the ones we worry that are judging or critiquing us are just as worried that WE are doing the same to them.  I see so many women caught up in what others think, what others define as happy, what others say is 'right', and most importantly, what others say is beautiful.  As women we have to be bold and courageous!!  We have to know that we are beautiful as we are and that if we want to wear funky, crazy clothes.... great!!  We have got to become comfortable in our own skin so that we can walk tall and be proud of who we are!!!

Be your own kind of bold....whatever that means to you.  Perhaps this means trying a new vibrant red lipstick, or maybe a bold colored shoe...whatever it means to you, do it!!!! Life is full of mundane, regulars....lets be the BOLD and Italics of the world!!  Life is far too short to look back and wonder 'what if??'  My own personal BOLD is a mo hawk hair style....at least for now.  Next month it may be a completely shaved head...who knows?  The point is, don't listen to that old adage of 'staying inside the lines'.  Perhaps we try coloring outside the lines every once and a while, just to keep things fresh and interesting.  Be daring....be adventurous....be Italic...but most of all...be BOLD!!!

A beautiful weekend indeed

My weekend started out quite chaotic....no water for a little over an hour and a half....STILL no cell phone service from AT&T....and too much schedule juggling.  Whew....but, thankfully that one moment in time was no indication of how great the weekend would end up. :)

I've still had zero reactions to my no makeup and now, I'm kind of over it all.  I guess I'm not really looking for any.  I feel like I'm more receptive to others, more attentive to things around me so I'm less focusing on what others are thinking about me and more towards how others are feeling.

I had a great date with my Andrew Friday evening.  We enjoy each others company so much!!  I can't imagine being in a relationship with someone I didn't want to spend time with.  He truly completes me.  We had dinner and then purchased a couple movies we hadn't seen.  The first movie was 'Cloud Atlas'.  It was very unusual but so good!!!  This movie showed how when we love others, our actions spark other actions that we may or may not ever see in our lifetimes, but all of these actions are connected throughout time.  Our spirits may pass from body to body, but the love never changes.  It was such an intense movie that I know I will need to watch it again to be sure I get it all.  This movie definitely made us smile, laugh, cry and think.  It is amazing to me just how important love truly is in each of our lives and daily interactions. This movie opened my eyes a bit wider to really see how one act or one kindness done in love truly goes full circle and never dies.  Our second movie was 'P.S. I love you'. I have to say...I LOVED this movie!!!  It made me cry on several occasions.  The love portrayed was so touching and real, it reminded me of my own relationship.  There were so many beautiful moments in the movie....true moments about true love and the depths of true love.  Both movies, as different as they are, are so very much the same.  They both showed how, no matter what happens in this life, love will never change or cease to exist.  Love is what it is truly all about.  Without love we have nothing.  I am reminded of a great Beatles lyric, "and in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make."  If we give love and show love, we will be given and shown love in return.

This weekend culminated last night with me and my husband watching the Grammy's on television.  It was a fairly good show up until about 10:30, that's when it became amazing, beautiful and inspiring.  During a Macklemore and Lewis performance of "Same Love", 33 couples exchanged wedding vows and were united as married couples.  The couples were same sex, opposite sex, interracial, you name it....it brought me to tears.  This amazing event showed that its really all about love.  We need to stop judging, stop hating, stop turning the other cheek....and we need to start loving...truly, deeply, sincerely loving each other despite the differences we 'think' we have.  Seeing the true beauty within and loving that is what 'true love' is all about.

 Buddha said it well when he said, "hatred is never ended by hatred but by love."  Just love.

Beauty is the Eye of the Beholder

I'm not sure if the Universe wanted me to be having this experiment at this exact time, but it seems like there are so many things I'm noticing related to beauty and what we as women tell ourselves about beauty.  Yesterday on a national morning news program, the co-host commented that she was afraid to get married because she didn't want to fail.  She and the other co-host were joking about why she hadn't 'tied the knot' yet.  She said she didn't want to fail and that she was afraid that if she got married and (gesturing with her hand around her face) if this all went away, she'd surely scare her new husband away.  She was making an all too familiar joke with women regarding how they look without their makeup. My ears instantly perked up at what she was saying and how the men co-host was reacting.  He laughed right along with her in her joke.  Why do we instantly think that without our makeup, men would go 'running for the hills'??  Whatever happened to a great personality, intelligence and sense of humor being tops on the list????  Why, on national television, is a woman stating that the reason she is afraid to get married is because she doesn't want the future husband to see her without all her makeup???? It is so sad to see that even in this form of media, we are getting the message that to be beautiful, a women must be dressed a certain way, look a certain way and above all, wear makeup.  This mindset is deeply ingrained in so many women across so many demographics...what can we do, as women, to stop the cycle????

A co-worker and I were looking at a very cute and stylish dress and she had nothing but negative things to say about her body and how she perceived it would look in the dress.  She said her hips were too wide, her chest too flat....and finally I looked at her and said,..."now that you've been so negative about yourself this morning, how about you tell me FIVE positive things about your body that you love."   Needless to say, she had a difficult time getting to five things.  My heart broke because I know, personally, it is so much easier to focus on the things we hate about ourselves rather the things we find beautiful.  When did we go from being 'beautiful princesses' at age 5 to negative self hating women at 25???  We need to change that little voice in our head and start looking for the beauty once again.  We need to see that we are princesses and we are beautiful just the way we were created.

My reactions to going sans makeup have still been minimal at best.  Not a single blink or double take.  I'm beginning to feel more and more comfortable in my own natural skin.  I'm no longer looking for the reactions, I'm challenging myself to become more attune to the women around me and what they need to hear. As women, we need to be uplifting to each other and take notice of too much negative self talk.  We need to be each others cheerleaders!! My challenge to whomever is reading and keeping up with this blog, find 5 things daily about yourself that you love.  Say these five things aloud, write them down and post them on your various mirrors and maybe, just maybe we can begin listening to the positive rather than the negative.

Remember, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so maybe we starting seeing OURSELVES as beautiful.

Days 1-2 of the Regression Challenge

Beauty is a characteristic of a person, animal, place, object or idea that provides a perceptual experience of pleasure or satisfaction.  This, as defined by Wikipedia, is an interesting definition of beauty that goes hand in hand with my regression challenge.  This definition got me to thinking...since beauty is solely a perceptual experience, can we change our perceptions??  When are we too old to changes perceptions we may have had for many years??  One of my goals in this experiment is to perhaps change or modify the perception in others and/or myself.  What if we were able to re-define beauty as we all know it???  How much of an impact could this change make?  

So far in my quest, I've not had any questions regarding my appearance minus the makeup.  I worked yesterday in my salon and had one client that I could tell she noticed something was different, but didn't say anything.  Today I worked at my other job and neither the co-workers or customers seemed to take notice.  I, however, have noticed slight changes within myself.  I noticed yesterday that I wasn't checking on a regular basis to make sure my blemishes were concealed, because I knew they weren't. I haven't noticed any grand personality changes as of yet, but I can say that I feel more honest.  I'm a very straightforward person with those that I know and not having any makeup made it a challenge to interact with strangers.  Maybe I'm thinking too much into this, but I do know it was difficult to make eye contact with people yesterday and today it seems to be getting easier.  Perhaps my true confidence is building....  

I am excited to see how each day progresses and how I change and grow in this experience.  I am hoping to impact others lives as well.  I want women and men, but particularly women, to really think deeply about what they find beautiful within them....challenge themselves to see the beauty beneath the makeup.

New Year...New you??

Happy New Year!!  With those three little words we automatically feel the need to improve our lives, health, jobs and relationships.  What if we regress rather than move forward???  I've heard it said that change for the sake of change is not always a good thing.  What if progression for the sake of progressing were the same way??? This thought got me to wondering...what if I make a resolution to regress rather than progress???  How would this be perceived??  How would I be perceived?  What would my friends and family think?  How would this affect my clients in my salon??  Would anyone even notice???

Being in the beauty industry, image is everything....truly. As a salon owner and stylist, my job is to make others look as beautiful on the outside as they are on the inside.  I love what I do and the instant gratification that comes along with it...but, I've begun to notice how wrapped up we as a society are becoming over our looks and all that comes with that.  I began to notice how many people are so worried about "looking the part".  I see so many naturally beautiful people who have little to zero self confidence and I wondered if it all went hand in hand with our need to "look beautiful".  Have we forgotten the real meaning of beauty??  Do we know what it means to be beautiful??  How confident would we be if we stripped down all the things that made us beautiful and just lived our lives and truly sought out the real beauty in life..???    

So....I've decided to begin this stripping down process.  For the next 90 days I will be stripping down and regressing in areas of my life that may or may not be related to my physical appearance.  First thing to go is my makeup.  To some this may sound like no big deal, but to me, its huge.  I've worn makeup ever since I was 17 years old...I'm 35 now, so that is a long time. In this process of stripping down things, my goal is to blog the responses, if any, that I receive.  I thought long and hard about why I wear makeup and what it is that I feel as if I gain.  I have come to many different conclusions.  One, makeup makes me feel as if I can camouflage my physical flaws, whether real or perceived.  I feel as though I am able to face the world with a renewed confidence when I am in my makeup.  Am I truly this confident with my makeup or is it simply a perceived confidence??  I want to get to the bottom of this very question in this regressing project.  We see so many confident men out in the world...and they generally do not wear makeup, so what gives??  Are women the weaker sex and lacking in natural confidence that we feel the need to build ourselves up in whatever way possible with makeup and 'beauty' products??  Do women lack the self esteem to just be real and completely natural as most men??  Is the 'double standard' that we all gripe about something that we as women created or is it what men prefer???  

Stay tuned to this blog for more stripping and regressing and the reactions that may or may not happen.  I'm hoping for an enlightened perspective on what true beauty really is.  I hope that in this project, I am able to re-define beauty as we know it, or at least in my own eyes.  

Baby Steps

Today I went to visit my mom and step dad in St. Louis.  My step dad is still recovering from brain trauma and has now been moved to a rehab hospital.  My mom hasn't left his side since the accident on Nov 11.  It is amazing to see the progress he has made from then until today.  He is going to both physical and occupational therapy to re-learn the simplest things.  Today I was in the room while his speech therapist was working with him.  He can't speak yet, he still has a trach in, but he can comprehend and nod/point to his answers.  He even 'wrote' a little with his right hand.  It was so surreal to watch him barely answer questions that were so simple, but to his mind, so difficult. 

Life happens so quick.  Here is a man who is extraordinarily talented musically...can play guitar, banjo, mandolin, dulcimer...struggling to answer questions like 'is it 2010?'  I can see in his eyes he knows but doesn't understand why.  Mom told me today that he wrote in his physical therapy on a piece of paper two words.  "Why"  and "Can't"...she broke down at that...and reassured him that in time he will be able to do all the things he used to be able to do.  He is so courageous and strong.  He keeps fighting and he is such an amazing example of perseverance.  I am so proud to be his daughter and to know that each day he gets stronger and stronger.  My mom is a strong woman who hasn't left and most likely won't leave him for a minute.  She knows that he has it in him to fight through this and she won't miss one minute of his recovery.  He gave her a thumbs up after his therapy this afternoon.  He knows he has to celebrate the baby steps...right now, they are the only steps we have.

Salon Atmosphere

Today was my first day in the salon.  I love it!!  I didn't do any actual hair work, but I did get a chance to get involved with the other staff, learn some product info and get a feel of how the salon works and operates.  I can't wait to do this on a regular basis!!!  I am so fortunate to have a job immediately after school! 

The salon I am working is a great place!  The atmosphere is one of learning, growing and most importantly FUN!!  I am thrilled about being part of this team and growing with them and the salon!! 

I received my itinerary for my upcoming New York trip for Matrix.  I am so thrilled at this opportunity still...I haven't stopped smiling!  I'm finding myself not being too nervous for this part of the experience.  The thought of traveling for six months and learning and sharing all I've experienced still amazes me and makes me so eager to get my feet in the water!!  I feel that this new career path of mine is something I was meant to do and I'm simply thrilled to get it going and explore all the new exciting things that lie ahead of me!!

Mark my words....I will become a household name!!

I AM SO THANKFUL!!

There are so many things going on ina my life for me to be thankful for.  I have an amazing family who loves and supports me in all my endeavors.  I have wonderful friends whom I love dearly.  I am a graduate of cosmetology school.   I have a new career that I am excited about!!  I am a FINALIST in Matrix Spread the Love competition!!  And the list goes on...

The next few months in my life are going to be a whirwind of activity and new experiences.  I will be traveling to New York City for the final interview for the Matrix Spread the Love.  I know this 6 month opportunity was made for me!  When I think about it and being involved with it, I never think of NOT being chosen to be one of the six.  I can't imagine not experiencing everything this opportunity has to offer!!  I'm so thankful to be this far into it!!   This is my dream and I am so fortunate to be given the opportunity to potentially live my dream!!  I'm excited for the next few weeks/months!

I know that everything happens for a reason.  I know that I moved back to Missouri at just the right time to start cosmetology school when I did so that I would be eligible for this opportunity, so that I would meet the amazing people I have, and so that I would gain the confidence and know-how to be a  successful cosmetologist.
I am so thankful and grateful beyond measure!  I know that ..'all things work together for good to them who love the Lord..'  I am believing that this isn't the final step for me!!

Three days till Graduation...so, the end in sight!

My graduation is nearing ever so close...three days to be exact.  This moment is surreal actually...I'm a bundle of emotions.  I'm super excited to be finished, somewhat sad to leave my dear friends, and nervous about actually starting my new career.  The last year has been quite a journey....

This time last year, I had just moved 1200 miles across the country from Leesburg Virginia back to my hometown of Potosi Missouri.  I was living in Virginia working as a manager for a grocery store...overworked and overstressed.  I was ready for change...I was just going through the motions in my life and wanting something new, something I could be passionate about.  I kept going back to something I had always dreamt about doing and loved...cosmetology.  After toiling over it for weeks/months, I finally decided to make the change.  I knew a change this drastic would require some relocating on my part.  A move this big meant some big time family support. 

So, here we are...a year later, new state, new city and now...new career.  I'm so glad that I finally made the change to pursue my true passion for art and cosmetology.  I've never been this happy in my career...EVER!  I'm so thankful for my family who have been amazing during this year of transition.  If I hadn't had them, I don't think I could have ever made this change.  I think of how things would be if I hadn't moved...I'd be miserable in Virginia. 

I'm so excited to see what the next chapter in my life holds.  I'm thrilled about making it in the semi finals of the Spread the Love and I'm anxiously awaiting to hear whether I move on or not.  I am thrilled at my career that lies ahead of me and can't wait to start in the salon!!  The sky's the limit on where I can go in this industry!!  Now...its full speed ahead!! 

Full, Rich, Day

Well, I finally submitted my Spread the Love semi finalist videos, blogs and other materials today.  Whew...finally!  I'm feeling a sense of relief and slight panic...second-quessing my videos, my blog writing...everything!  I can't seem to get over the feeling that this is something that I'm a perfect fit for.  This journey would be an amazing one.  One that I would gain so much from.  I would hope that I would gain knowledge, skills, friendships, career opportunities and so much more from this 6 month endeavor.  I am thinking positively now and know that it's up to the powers that be.  I know this for sure...I have given 110% in all parts of this process and I feel good knowing that. 

Well, an update on my step dad.  He had his ventilator tube taken out today because he has been breathing above it the entire time, so the doctors and nurses decided to try a trial of tests to see if he was able to go along without it, he passed the tests so they took it out.  Once it was out, however, his breathing became labored and there was more mucous than originally thought.  The neurosurgeon was not involved in the decision to take out the tube, and when he found out, he wasn't happy that it was taken out.  He ordered it to be put back immediately.  He didn't want Mike to have to deal with a lung issue...he's already had enough thrown at him.  They got the tube re-inserted and got him all settled back down and he is resting nicely. 

So, its been a full, rich day for me and my family.  We are strong though and we know that we can handle anything thrown at us because we have an Almighty Comforter giving us peace.  We know that we are not in control and that we just continue to have faith and take each day as it comes. 

Miracles DO happen...Daily

Well, today is day 2 of being in the hospital with my mom and step dad.  I'll give everyone a quick synopsis of what happened.  Wednesday he complained of a horrible headache, bad enough to not go to work.  Thursday he still had the headache but it was worse.  It was so bad that he couldn't even play music.  Later the evening, he ate a small dinner and decided to lay down for a nap.  He evidently passed out and went out.  After getting him to the hospital via helicopter, he was rushed into brain surgery.  After 2 1/2 hrs of surgery, he came out and they had drained all of the excess blood that was in his brain that caused him to pass out.  According to the neurosurgeon this bleeder in his brain was inadvertently caused by medication he has been taking for his heart.  The doctor was non committal in his feeling of how things were going to go after surgery.  He said the next few days could be critical because the brain is so unpredictable. 

So....here we are.  There have been armies of prayer warriors sending up prayers in our behalf.  Today when the neurosurgeon came in he was now encouraged by the progress seen.  He said that based upon the condition my step dad was in, he should be dead by now.  But instead...he is raising two fingers when asked, he is raising his arm on command, he is smiling....he is NOT dead!!!  There is NO other explanation other than God.  We have fully put our faith in Him and know that He is in control and no other.  God has bigger and better plans for Mike and isn't ready for him to come home. 

I am so pleased and happy for the progress and know that each day brings new baby steps and new signs of improvement.  I will keep my blog updated on his progress and I will continue to give all praise and credit to God Almighty!

Inspiration Comes from Many Places

Where Do I Look for Inspiration??  There are many places I draw inspiration from.  Most of the places I am inspired by most are within nature.  A brightly colored fall leaf, a sunset, a dusk evening when the sky is going from blue to gray to dark blue, the tree tops on a windy day and even the cool look of icicles hanging from a roof or ledge.  I think nature is our biggest source of inspiration whether we are dealing with cosmetology or any other art form.  I draw from nature not only when dealing with hair color but also hair cuts and styles.  Once I get a vision of how I want something to look, I then communicate this vision to my client to help her better understand my inspiration behind her look.  Like in any art, when lacking inspiration for a project, go outside, see what is happening in nature.  By doing this, one won't be hard pressed for inspiration.

Inequality Part II

If I could change one thing in the world what would it be???  I read a great quote this evening in a tattoo magazine of all places.  The quote was featured on a t-shirt that was being advertised.  The quote read, "I'll promise to avoid being offended by your closed mind if you'll promise to avoid being offended by my open one."  That quote says it all.  I see so many examples of close minded thinking where I live, which is a small rural area.  A common misconception is that small, rural towns are filled with close minded citizens.  I've experienced it in the larger cities where I've lived as well.  Close minded thinking is evident everywhere.  It's sad to see just how many people are so closed to different ideas, ways of thinking, ways of living and ways of expressing oneself.  It's not that I am wanting acceptance for the different ideas, it's more that I wish others wouldn't pass judgment just because the ideas are different or not necessarily the norm.

A perfect example was in my town's local high school.  The students were given an assigned issue and what they had to do was argue the opposite of how they truly believed.  The issues were all highly volatile issues that ignited deep arguments.  Well, one young man didn't want to do the assignment as it were assigned because he couldn't possibly argue for this issue when he was so adamantly against it...so he said.  The sad thing was that he couldn't open his mind even just a small bit to gather what the other side of  the argument stated, what they believed and why they believed it.  He had his mind closed tight and there was no compromise to loosening it to becoming more informed of other perspectives or points of view.  He didn't pass the assignment because of his own chosen ignorance and small minded thinking.  The teacher ought to be applauded because she challenged the students to get out of their comfort zone and small boxes and see things bigger and from the opposing sides of arguments.

Close minded thinking is something I despise because of its divisive and stereotypical nature.  I think when a particular idea or person doesn't 'fit' into a given society's nice, neat box, that makes people uncomfortable.  Different isn't bad...its just different.  I think when we fully realize that, then we will begin to see close minded thinking start to open up. 

Ted Gibson...Tabatha Coffey....Nick Arrojo...

Now, the question has been asked...Which celebrity industry icon would you like to sit down with for dinner??  There are some amazing industry icons out there to choose from, but I know I can only choose one, so I would pick Ted Gibson.  Ted Gibson has such a remarkable story of how he got to where he is today.  He has gone from the smallest of towns to working on celebrities such as Angelina Jolie.  He has been behind the chair, platform artist, educator, salon owner and entrepeneur.  To me, Ted Gibson embodies so many characteristics that I admire and respect, that I would be in awe to sit with him and see how his mind works and how he sees the industry.  Its funny but I sometimes tell my family and friends that I'm going to be the next Ted Gibson...unless one is familiar with cosmetology as an industry, one usually doesn't know who I'm referring to, but its a great goal, nonetheless!!  I think the number one reason I look up to him is because he has conquerred it all...behind the chair, platform artist, educator, salon owner and entrepeneur.  He is everything I aspire to be and I know this opportunity of Spread the Love will help me begin my journey to becoming the next Ted Gibson. 

Who Is My Biggest Inspiration??

As I was going through the questions posed to me by the Spread the Love contest, this one in particular struck a chord with me as one I was to answer on my blog rather than my video.  I find myself, as other artists I'm sure, drawing inspiration from many things and many people.  This may change as my season of life changes, but one source of inspiration remains constant with me.  My grandmother is by far my biggest inspiration in my life and in cosmetology.  She was an amazing, strong, independent woman who embodied strength of character in all she did.  Any of my artistic and creative skills I owe to her.  When I was younger, she was the the one who first taught me to oil paint.  I remember it because I was so nervous because I didn't want to mess up the painting.  She was so funny because she said that in art you can't mess up because no matter what, someone would see the beauty even in the 'mess ups'.  She taught me to see color for the beautiful gift it is.  She inspired me to be brave in putting otherwise questionable color combinations together in my clothing.  Yes, I did get teased a time or two because of my outfit and color choices but my grandma would always tell me, 'Hilly, they just don't see color the way you do.'  She inspires me to continue to try new and sometimes unconventional things still today.  All of the things I have done in my life and past career I see her as my inspiration.  I was strong and persistent in my management career.  I was compassionate and engaging in my human resources career.  And now, in the beginning stages of my cosmetology career, I am strong, compassionate, engaging, persistent and creative.  Just as she was.   Even though she's passed away, I still hear her saying to me, 'you can do anything you want...BECAUSE you are a girl'; 'don't give up, Hilly, you'll get there'; 'oh, just look at those beautiful colors!'  Thanks Gram!