Taming the Mane

I looked into the mirror this morning at the unbalanced, natural wave in my thick blonde hair and decided to leave it down and add some controlled curl. I plugged in my flat iron. Minutes later, I twisted and pulled the heat over the strand of hair closest to my left temple, releasing a single perfect curl. Only then did I look at the clock. I'm already late? You've got to be kidding me. I sighed and pulled the whole mop of it back in a low bun, unplugging my flat iron on my way out the door. (Unplugging everything has been a sensitive topic for me since the Super Bowl episode of This Is Us... Can anyone else relate?)

Opening my garage, I could already feel pieces of hair poking my neck, everything already coming undone. So this was how today was going to be, huh? That mane of mine was already trying to send me a message.

I taught my first class with my bun progressively becoming more of a ponytail as I rushed around the classroom reading, taking attendance, kneeling, whispering instructions, writing examples on the board, handing out papers, pacing the classroom, and trying to review central idea with my sleepy 7th graders. The hair, becoming more unruly by the second, was definitely an outer reflection of inner chaos. 

After my first group of kiddos filed out of the classroom, I quickly ran to my desk drawer and grabbed a rubber band. Fastening it over the straggling strands, I successfully pulled off a quick and temporary fix. It's amazing how many office supplies I've used as hair products. FYI, paper clips work almost as well as bobby pins in a pinch. 

Not surprisingly, the quick "Hair by Office Max" fix didn't last long. I readjusted that bun at least three times before lunch. It eventually morphed into a side braid by 7th period and a tight topknot by the end of the day. To be fair, I shouldn't have expected anything but feeling frazzled on my late work deadline. Is it the end of the term for any other teachers out there? Kids are such procrastinators, handing in wrinkled assignments in a flurry at 2:59 p.m. 

When I finally got home and let myself relax, I hopped in the shower and, afterward, let my hair down to air dry. Fresh and clean and free. It now officially feels like the weekend to me. And my hair seems to feel it too.

🖤MK

#SOL18 Day 2

Comments

  1. Lol. I've definitely had hair days like this.

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  2. I loved this piece! "Hair by Office Max" - so good :) What a beautiful use of your hair as a reflection of your day. I felt the same about my librarian bun today that just wouldn't stay put - looking forward to a weekend of hair down relaxing :)

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  3. This is such a creative piece! I love the way you use your hair as a symbol of how you were feeling during the day. Without describing everything that happened, I could feel the chaos as you listed of the many different hairstyles you went through, and then finally felt you relax and breathe at the end once you got home and let your hair down.

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