Each weekend lately I’ve been reading Fadra Nally’s “Stream of Consciousness Sunday” posts, and really enjoying them. This week the melancholy nature of her tone struck me. Fadra mentioned midlife struggles, and I can relate to those.
I had a birthday this week. It was a fun birthday with a dinner out with my family, a cake I didn’t have to bake myself, and all four of my kids home. I feel fine about how old I am. The number doesn’t bother me because I still feel young on the inside, challenged and excited about the work I do, and content in my relationships.
Still, my daughter keeps reminding me how old I’ll be when my current age doubles. While that age is possible, it’s statistically unlikely. I didn’t like thinking about it.
I spent some quality time staring at my face in a magnifying mirror this week. (Recommendation: never buy a magnifying mirror.) My chin mole is unchanged, so that’s a plus. My skin is a little dry, but let’s chalk that up to the end of winter. Still, there’s not much happiness found staring at your giant pores. One consolation is my eyebrows have grown back.
Last fall when my husband’s uncle died, we went home to Tennessee for the funeral. I did all the normal things you do before a funeral: grieving, some private crying, thinking about the good times, making sure the kids all had suitable funeral clothes, and getting my eyebrows waxed.
Whatever my love language is, when I’m sad I like to go to the salon. When my grandfather died four years ago I got a pedicure before the funeral. It really helped! This time, I found the out-of-town location the chain store where I normally get my brows done when I’m at home. My home salon has always done a perfect job, and since they have a certain technique I trust their trained staff.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t get the brow person to make eye contact with me or acknowledge my existence. Maybe it was time for her break, but she could have told me that before she disappeared from the sales floor.
I was a little hurt and slightly indignant when I left, but as I tromped back to my car with DefCon levels of indignity I saw another brow place.
Listen, never contract for salon services two hours before a funeral in a town you don’t live in at a spa you’ve never visited. I said, “I like natural fullness, arched over my pupil, with tapered outer edges.” The “brow artisan” heard, “Please use overheated wax to give me two skinny sideways parentheses, and burn my skin around the right eye.”
I looked puffy, red, and quite surprised at the funeral. People were consoling me, and I was just the niece-in-law. It was embarrassing.
I had to leave directly after to go to an event for work. I was so upset at my appearance that I stopped in Nowhere, North Carolina, and bought scissors so I could cut my bangs to better hide my brows. I’d have worn a mask if I thought I could pull it off.
So, long story short, getting older is a mixed bag, kids keep you humble with frequent reminders of your approaching decrepitude, and just tweeze your eyebrows at home.
This was my 5 minute Stream of Consciousness Sunday post. It’s five minutes of your time and a brain dump. Want to try it? Here are the rules…
Set a timer and write for 5 minutes.
Write an intro to the post if you want but don’t edit the post. This is writing in the raw.
Publish it somewhere. Anywhere. The back door to your blog if you want. But make it accessible.
Link your new posts to All Things Fadra (feel free to use her SOC Sunday graphic).
What a horrifying story about your eyebrow waxing! I am so glad that they have grown back now! And happy belated birthday to you!
Thanks for the birthday wishes! Yes, even the burn scar is gone.
Sad, but hilarious story.
Sorry to laugh at your expense. But you are wiser for it! 🙂
And much less surprised looking.
Was just thinking about getting my brows done, but now you have me seriously thinking twice! Making a date with my tweezers instead! Stopping over from Fadra’s linkups.
Maybe get a recommendation first. At home, I’d recommend my usual lady to anyone.
I’ve never waxed. I find a spa day at home kind of relaxing. I do my own nails and pluck my own brows. Sometimes I’ll pay for a pedicure but usually I’m too cheap and lazy. But I love your story anyway.
I just loved the brow shaping my brow lady did. Then I make it last with tweezers at home.
I give up on salon manicures. They just don’t last long enough, and gel manicures wreck my nails. I do like a professional pedicure every three to six months, or before funerals.
I am weird in that I enjoy getting my eyebrows waxed. Sometimes they turn out better than others and now that you mention it I’m due again. Soon. Very soon! I need my roots done, too. Woe is I many times over!
Permission to chuckle about the eyebrows? Mine aren’t thick enough to give anyone instructions. But in January I was disturbed right be for I was getting ready to snatch the wax off one eyebrow and I messed one up. And guess what I did last week? I cut a side bang because I’m tired of looking at the eyebrow. Though I’ve found a wonderful pencil the fill in the missing parts.