Sometimes before you go forward it's good to look back

A Great Day in My Life

I finally figured it out. I have been working at this consistently and tirelessly over the last 5 months, and today, Tuesday, December 19, 2006 I finally figured it out.

It's not really about the type of hair gel you use, though a strong product with a firm hold is important. It's not about the amount of product you use; using a handful of hair gel won't be any more productive for you than a quick squirt. I have also come to learn that wearing a baseball hat in the morning to hold your hair in place until it dries may help, but overall will not allow your hair to stay put throughout the whole day. And wearing sunglasses on your head at the end of the day doesn't really work either, although it does look cool. I realized today, after constant trial and error for the last 5 months, that the best way to keep your hair looking wet and slicked back like a slime-ball grease-ball for the whole day at work is to make sure your hair is fairly wet when you put the hair gel in your hair in the morning. If you shake the towel on your head vigorously until your hair is only damp, this won't work. Instead, lightly pat your head when you get out of the shower so that your hair is still fairly wet. Then use a normal amount of hair gel and slick your hair straight back. You don't need anything to hold it in place, the wet hair and gel will stick together and create a bond similar to a a mother's bond with her newborn child and your hair won't fall down even when you bend down to brush your teeth. When the water evaporates from your hair, your hair will remain in place for the entire day. It is 5:30pm and I look like I just got out of the shower. All the girls in the office say it looks gross and they liked it more the other way, but I know what that really means; they think it's sexy and I look like a badass.

So that's it. Keep your hair very wet when you add the gel. Then the rest of the day is yours to be as awesome as you want to be.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

I completely underestimated the power of a Christmas tree. I really did. I didn't think I would miss having a Christmas tree and decorations, lights and snow, and for the most part I didn't. It's gorgeous outside, what's to miss? It wasn't until the lovely Monique decided that we needed to get all this stuff that I realized how great everything related to Christmas really is.

I came home on Monday to four girls going to town on my apartment. Lights were up in all the windows, fake snow was on the glass, even messages were written in snow on our windows that read "Santa, please stop here" and "Merry XXXmas". Adorable. At first I thought we were the only people that had the Christmas spirit on our street because no one else had lights up. Then I remembered that we are the only ones with Christmas spirit, everyone else in our neighborhood is Jewish.

The last few nights I have sat around the Christmas tree and I must admit, it feels pretty amazing. It's cozy and warm and comfortable. Then when I wake up to go to work and walk outside it's high 60s. The best of both worlds I guess. My first Christmas in LA, not bad at all.