Conservatives

I realize that for my conservative friends my look is disturbing, it is disturbing not because I look particularly ugly but because it shakes their standards of how things should be.

A woman should be womanly and womanly is defined in a very strict way: long hair, well taking care of, no bulky shoes and moderate opinions. The woman is defined as the balance of intelligence and grace where any possible exaggerations are not welcome or to be encouraged.

Maybe I am reading too much into it, but I will continue my observation among the ones who don't approve and the ones who still have some rebellious blood flowing on their veins!

Is it news(letter) material?

I know is only the school newsletter but is really and all-shaved family newsworthy?
Apparently, there was a suggestion that the family in question (us) would be interviewed and be representative of the lice radical solution!

I am not quite sure I want my name to pop out on a google search when the word "lice" would be typed...having said that if I am totally open to share my experience.

(no)hair headed

Well today, I forgot about my hair or lack of it. My neighbor gave me a sign of approval and for a second I didn't know to what she was referring to. Oh Yeah the hair! Thanks neighbor, you are a nice lady and I don't doubt your sincerity.
We were commenting with Stefania that if you are in search of attention by your entourage all you need is a dramatic haircut. You might do nice things: help your kids school, let a pregnant woman cut the line, give 10$ to a homeless but all this so forgetful comparing to having the guts to cut your hair! It is kind of futile...
A drastic hair shave symbolized submission, rebellion, confusion, freedom, anti-femininity and somehow when your only reason is lice it takes away the magic, the tale is not as interesting.

Shopping in the City

In the process of rethinking my wardrobe I am going for a little shopping on the lower fifth avenue, my favorite place with little congestion and acceptable attitude.
You have to be in Manhattan to feel very cool with hair my length. I am not getting any looks or maybe very imperceptible ones. Now I know why all the weirdo, original, anti conformist want to move here.

The point of this shopping is to avoid dark winter colors and try anything pastel and light.
It was about time to abandon the black and dark grey anyway ... !

I had to wear my Chiapas hat on my way back...I was cold!

Rethinking my style

I don't particular care for the truck-driver look and I already heard the lesbian remark.
I have to rethink my look in term of clothing. Can I really wear unisex clothes without accessorizing with a touch of more femininity? Should I go for pastel colors to soften a look that has been harden by the lack of hair?
I think I do but I need to make converge this new style into me... I am not going to wear high hill shoes and pink just to prove a point.

Clear advantages

The hair are never messy, no wasted time in blow drying/styling hair (not that was ever a concern of mine), I guess my bottle of shampoo is going to last a long time, shower time is cut in half...let's not forget about the horrendous static in the winter. Maybe by that time there are going to be long enough to have to suffer through static again.

My bold/shaved friends have always told me about the wellness of having the pressure of water straight in your scalp and finally I understand the experience.

Cold and bold

I was quasi-bold in more than one way but I did not factor in the fall arriving and the temperature dropping. We organize this weekend camping up in the hills with friends.
I can take off my wool hat, I have the feeling than an ice pack is positioned on my head. I am not really a hat-person but I feel I will have to become one.
My kids' friends are kind of weird out of my hair style, I keep the hat on also for their sake, I don't want to be responsible of any eventual nightmare.

Man with boobs

The children are a little disturb by my new look but we turn it into a family joke. I hear some "you look ugly" and "you look like a man with boobs"... I laugh!
I take it as an opportunity to teach one thing or two about appearance and the judgment of others.
I don't find anymore that interesting the opinion of others especially about my hairstyle.
If the voice it, it is a moment of self-derision that I am totally for sharing. If they talk behind my back I am sad for them that they have so little to talk about.
I tell the kids that sometimes you have to do what it is best for you and not best for public opinion, having lices multiplying on your head is not really ideal.
The matter seems clear, we are not wearing hats, caps or hoods to cover our head, we show it!

Facing the faces

Step two of the operation, next day it is curriculum meeting in my children classes. Alain attends one while I attend the other. This is going to be interesting.
Already, on the four blocks from home to school we get some interesting/puzzled looks.
Then, I am among the last parent to enter in the class, believe it or not I heard the sound of jaws dropping, I don't really look round the room but just laugh and explain to the mom seated next to me the reason of the cut.
I get some remark, some compliments and some "just look". The "just look" can be interpreted in many ways but really whatever it is I don't really care.
I just make sure that the teachers pay a couple of compliments to my kids about the new hair-do so that they don't make a bigger deal than what it really is.

Double check

After the trimming we have to make sure the lices and their eggs are gone. I wanted to make sure that I did not have to cut even shorter so we return to the the lice-lady that at this point feels like my best friend.

The shaved family and Stefania who had dinner at our house the night before go for the ultimate check.

The entrance to the lice-lady house is not clear but the neighbors who are enjoying the last autumn sun know who were are looking for. Is there something about our look give us away?!

Trim, trim, trim

We all go on the deck and we start the 1/2 inch trimming on the men first. It is really an easy transition for them, just shorter than usual.

The kids complain and say that they don't like their short hair but I really reassure them that they look absolutely cute and they also avoid potential social isolation because all the kids in school know they had lice and they have to send a strong signal that they are clean.

Now it is my turn, I sit like a good girl waiting for something new to happen. Alain starts with the cutting some length before the actually trimming. I know it is going to be acceptable, my head is round, my ears are small...still it would be a little traumatizing, I just can measure the level of trauma!

The work is done, I look into a mirror and I am gigglish, this is kind of crazy but also fun. I have definitely a new look.

I have not improve my look but I have proved my boldness!

We take family pictures to document the moment.

Let get the machine

I get home determined to execute the mission and I don't want anyone to try to talk me out of it. My husband is into it.

I run to the pharmacy next door and I come triumphantly with a hair trimmer. We open the package...yuck it needs to be recharge 16 hours before we can use it. Sorry, I don't have 16 hours, I start getting frantic I have to solve the problem.

I go back to the pharmacy to return the tool but there is a strict law about returning sanitary product, I have just wasted 21 dollars but I have declared war on my family's lices and I have to win.

My husband is in charge of finding a more efficient tool, he comes home with the right one. Now my breathing start being normal again....

How it all started

If you live around little people that attend school you can go through lots of problems, and sometimes joys, but you never take into account that actually one day little animals can crawl in your head. Yes, I am talking about an ancient taboo that when I was young only dirty people got: LICE!

Well, apparently few days ago they were having parties and offsprings on my hair. Here am I all these years thinking my hygiene was irreproachable!

Since then everybody explains me that it has nothing to do with hygiene and you can take care of it so most of the parents suddenly become primates by checking their kids hair everyday.

Sorry, I am not going to do it, I don't have the patience, I doubt my ability as lice-lady and it make me itch just the idea that I might miss one or two eggs.

Here I am, in the school's office, considering my options with one infested kid, the other with no noticeable animals and I with my mid-length hair clearly populated by the unwanted guests. I have a bold idea: we all shave so we get rid of the problem at once.

My kids look at me with teary eyes. I say: "Come on already it is going to be fun we will all do it including Papa`". I consult the lice-lady to make sure that it is a radical solution, she is enthusiastic about the idea and probably wished that with all her clients would take that option.

However, she does not consider that her business would diminish. Being aslso Jew-Orthodox the hair shaved is taken to all another sacred level, so basically she know what she is talking about.

The principal wants to convince me that I don't have to go so radical, but sorry I really want to...so don't try to spoil this opportunity.