Satisfaction

I got so wrapped up in my wretched Monday (well, that might be a bit of hyperbole) that I never talked about how fun the weekend was. No matter - because next weekend will likely be just as fun. I'm guessing. Because I am living in a neighborhood I like, going to church with great people, and in general surrounded by a great and supportive community.

Gush.

Yesterday I got my hair cut. My relationship with my hair service-providers has been tumultuous (more hyperbole). Maybe I am difficult to please; I don't know. But I don't think I am unreasonable.

• Went to Melissa in Peoria for years. Liked her well enough. Then one appointment I said I was ready for something different and did she have any suggestions. "Don't look at me," was her response.

Wait a minute. Who is the professional in this scenario? We moved soon after that, so I didn't have to make the painful decision of whether or not to fire her.

• Shortly after moving to Lafayette, I found Sarah. I quite liked her - about my age, really liked the way she did my hair. She moved to another shop at one point, which was not nearly as nice as her previous place of employment (and had quite the groovy name: Tanglez and Bangz - nice), but it allowed her to set her own hours, which I understood. Went there even after we moved back from Germany. She was usually fun to talk to and, as I already said, I liked the hair cut.

But. And you knew there would be a but.

Turn out she was very good friends with someone I also know quite well - they had grown up together. And this mutual friend went through some significant personal problems. I knew about it before Sarah did. And when Sarah found out, she started pumping me for information. It all became a bit gossipy. And she did not like this friend's sister - whom I had the opportunity to meet on several occasions. The sister seemed fine, but Sarah despised her, for some indiscretion that went back to something like fifth grade. She called her a fat cow (I'm pretty sure she looks about like I do - what was that saying about me?), could not get over whatever this 25-year-old rift.

More importantly, I went back to work at the local newspaper, a job I really loved. When I told her, she said congratulations, then went on to talk about how much she hates the local paper, what a piece of trash it is, how it's all wrong all the time and she never reads it. Comments I will not even respond to - some criticism is likely valid, but come on, all wrong, all the time?

(And as a side note, until you've spent your days putting every bit of information into any part of a newspaper, you may hold your criticism. I've read enough people's blogs full of typos and misplaced commas, people who like to think they are above making grammatical errors, that I'd like to see any one of them catch every mistake every day in a daily paper that runs from 30-50 pages. Once they've churned out error-free copy for even one week, ON DEADLINE, much less years, then we'll talk.)

Back to the issue at hand. Mostly I just nodded. I came back for my next appointment and she asked how work was. Great, I said - I love it. Then she went into her anti-newspaper diatribe AGAIN.

Now. She has every right to her opinion. What bothered me was her lack of discernment, her total disregard of social acumen. As a business woman, does she not know how best to talk to her clients? I would never, ever come in and make disparaging comments about her or her husband's job, her decisions in child-rearing (and some, to me, were questionable, but it really was not my place to openly judge her). I decided it was time to move on.

Which I did, to a place recommended by a friend (Terry has lovely hair - yet oddly enough, she always told me how great my hair looked!) Her guy was OK, but he's one of those male hairdressers who thinks he knows better than you how you really want to look. (And he was so non-chatty - let me tell you, when you're stuck in that chair for nearly three hours with those foils, a little conversation helps break up the time.)

I liked where I went in Houston, but here we are, back in Lafayette. A friend recommended a new place, owned by people who own one of the places in town with a really good reputation. Prices are the same as the older place (which some people find really swanky), but they're based on what tier of stylist you get. It's a green salon (another plus), not far away, and highly recommended - why not?

I got there, and the place is very nice inside. Very classy, very mod and chic - all new, stylists all in black. First they first offered me the complimentary massage that preceded my hair cut. I saw the $$$ rolling, but wow, it felt great. Hair was washed, and as the conditioner soaked in, I got the hand/arm massage. Hair cut, blow dry, style - and she completely understood how I wanted it styled. Make-up touch-up at the end.

It was fantastic. But my real concern was, can I really afford to do this every visit? And can I stand not to?

You won't believe the total: $30.

I was stunned - I haven't paid that little for a haircut since I don't know when. I guess my stylist was at the bottom tier, but I don't care. She was very pleasant, and I plan to take the girls there, even (they have a separate price schedule for kids).

Most importantly? I love the way she cut my hair - it looks great!

So, mark one concern off my list of anxieties. I'm sure something else will take its place, but for now, so happy!