Sunday, July 8, 2007

Me, My Hair And My Barber ...

The rain is pouring outside my window as I type this post and I'm ever so glad to see the rain even though it's gonna ruin my run for today. The weather for the past 2 weeks have been so hot I'm sure hell had much cooler temperatures :)

The weekend has been good for me though I really didn't do much except go for my daily run and take the boys and myself out for a haircut at out regular Indian Muslim barber shop. Yeah, people, I don't go to no fancy schmancy hairdressing salon to get my totally unmanageable mop of hair cut. Only these Indian Muslim barbers can handle my hair.

Ever since I was this wee young lad in primary school I have been very particular about my hair. My hair has this hopelessly natural curl when its long (i dream of having straight hair) and I was very conscious about how it looked and how it fell in place. At that time (when I was between 6-12 years old) my mom always took me to this Indian Muslim barber and got me this horribly short hair cut every month. I use to dread going for a hair cut and every snip of hair that was cut from my head, I felt like killing the barber! You should see the killer stare I gave the barber back then ... LOL!

Then when I was in my teenage years, when I could go on my own for haircuts, I went to this professional hair salon to get my haircut done by student hairstylists (I wasn't working yet and there was only so much I could spend on with the allowance I got ... hehehe) These haircuts were more like a game of chance cos with student hairstylist, you never knew how your hair would turn out. I always go in there asking them to cut my hair like Nick Rhodes of Duran Duran but on more than one occasion I've come out of there looking like Don King!

When I went to college (the very same college I met my best buddies) I use to take at least an hour just to get my hair done at home before leavening for classes (Yes, yes, I was a vain pot back then!) I would actually stand in front of the mirror plastering my head full of gel and whatnots and then blow drying it place and I would not leave the house until it was perfect (or so I'd like to think). I'd even close all the windows on the bus so that the wind wouldn't mess my hair! There were times in class when my hair got messed up that I'd take a taxi all the way home just to blow dry it back in place! (yes, yes, yes, I admit, I was a hopeless conceited fool!) Ask my good buddy Adrian, he could tell you hours of stories about me and my precious hair.

Nowadays, I'm more sane and have reverted back to those trusty (though i didn't know it back then) Indian Muslim barbers. These are the only people who really know how to tame my unruly mop (and besides I'm no longer as vain as before ... hehehe) I keep my hair real short now which makes it more manageable and gives it a slightly straighter feel. (My beloved is sitting next to me and laughing at this posting as I write it). At nights before I sleep, after my bath, I purposely flatten my still wet hair like Mr. Bean just to irritate her cos she hates it when I look too goody goody and doofussy ... LOL! It riles her up especially when I imitate Mr. Bean but I just can't help teasing her!

I'm so glad I don't really bother about my hair that much nowadays, as long as it's short it's okay with me. And I'm ever so grateful to those Indian Muslim barbers :) Though I still harbour this fantasy of looking like Nick Rhodes ... LOL!

14 comments:

  1. LOL! can't believe you took an hour to get your hair fixed! wow! i am impressed that you have such a patience. :)

    Most of my guy friends turns to the indian barbers too. It's cheaper and most important, RELIABLE.

    However, if you would like to get a hairstyle like my darling's (http://martinsoo.blogspot.com), you can turn to me. I am his barber cum stylist for about 2 years now. I'll charge u a cheaper rate. Says RM8/ cut. Provided that you bring me a bar of chocolate at every cut. :P

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  2. I call it confidence, not conceited!! LOL..to funny.

    I went for a hair cut and highlight last year, brought a picture of what I was looking to have done or at the least pretty close to it. 3/4s of the way through I realized that the girl was doing her own thing. Now my eyes are pretty much useless with out glasses or contacts. I didn't put my contacts in that morning and wore glasses, a mistake I will never make again. I was mortified when she was done, coughed up $150.00 plus a small tip and never went back. I thought "This is what I leave with when I go to a salon that has won several awards?"
    Whoda thunk?

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  3. Jean - Yeah, Indian barbers are the best especially for people with my horrible kind of hair. And thanx for the hair cut offer but I really think with this unruly mop of hair, only a barber with the same kind of hair can cut it ...

    Diamond - wow, $150 plus tips for a badly done hair? I definitely understand how you felt. I've had experiences like that myself. I'm still trying to get that elusive Nick Rhodes hairstyle done though ... LOL!

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  4. "I'd even close all the windows on the bus so that the wind wouldn't mess my hair! There were times in class when my hair got messed up that I'd take a taxi all the way home just to blow dry it back in place!"

    Adrian!!! You kill me with your humour! Ha ha ha, I can't imagine you actually doing all that for ur hair but hey, it's totally understandable back then I guess! LOL :)

    PS. Tell me abt dreaming to have straight hair!! Nowadays I don't usually bother as much but back then, that was my main dream la :)

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  5. Marzie, I was that vain I tell you!!! My friends didn't dare mess with my hair back then, they know what wud happen to them if they did. But those days are gone, I'm much saner now.

    PS. btw, you got my name wrong. LOL!

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  6. NICK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'M SORRY!!!!!!!!!! I'm just so used to switching blogs between u and Adrian!!! OH boy, I'm really sorry Nick! And I didn't even realize that until I read ur comment, jgn marah! :) :) :)

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  7. Hey Marz - no problem. I found it pretty funny ... I get names mixed up all the time too. In fact sometimes I even forget peoples name ...

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  8. To this day, I still think that the best hair cut I've ever gotten was at a local barber shop for $8 bucks during my university days (broke, poor, with no money to spend...).

    But then, I started going to a fancy schmanzy place to get my hair done in the last few years because I am just so *in heart* with my gorgeous hairdresser. There's just something about a man playing dress up with your hair ....

    So glad you've kept up with the running part. You should have one of those meter progress things that I see on most fitness blogs so at least I can maybe get motivated to get my running adrenalin back again :)

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  9. My! Who would've thot you had such a relationship with your hair. And I thot I was vain... Hehehehe

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  10. Sweetiepie - Relationship? I was practically married to my hair. LOL! My hair was the most important thing to me back then. I had to make sure it was always combed in place all the times, even when I was at home! So glad I'm over it now :)

    Sharon - I'm sure the $8 buck was pretty worthwhile, rite? Meter progress thingy? Hmmm, never did notice any but it sounds pretty interesting. I'm definitely gonna go check some running sites out. Stay tuned for the progress meter!

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  11. I had the same local barber all my life until I was 26. His name was Dan Tracey. He was such a great guy and everyone loved him. He'd cut your hair in 2 minutes and it was perfect every time! In that 2 minutes you would have a great conversation, he talked fast and everything he did, he did quickly but was so memorable. Sadly, out of the blue, he died with no warning. Since then, I don't think about my hair, I just remember what a great guy Dan was. This post made me think of him, and if he's looking down from heaven, I know he's smiling from your wonderful post:)
    Here's to Dan and you Nick! Have a great day:)

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  12. I also used to visit the student hairdressers, and know exactly what you mean by not knowing how your hair would turn out...I also recieved a Don King once, then there was the Mrs Brady, and something Im sure Sid Vicious would have been proud of....well, I guess it kept life interesting.
    Thanks for visiting my blog. I enjoy your writing style and lighthearted viewpoint. Cheers!

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  13. Buddy! I still remember the time you punched me in the stomach for touching your hair before you went on that date with the girl with the huge nose! You remember DON'T YA! Your post certainly brought back that awful memory! Thank goodness you punch like a little girl (no offense to the women folk) LOL

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  14. Bobby - Wow, that's a long time to stick to the same barber. Bet you guys were pretty good friends too :) And 2 minutes is an incredibly fast hair cut time! I'm sure he's in that great barber shop in the sky still giving his 2 minute hair cuts:)

    Lavender - I'm glad somebody can relate to my hairdressing tales ... LOL! Thanx for the visit, hope to see you around more ...

    Adrian - Buddy, how could I ever forget that :) Serves you right though, here i was getting ready for a date and you just had to go mess my hair. LOL! And how to forget, you keep reminding me about her HUGE nose every chance you get!

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