Wednesday, May 01, 2013

#153. or, Not Really a Hair Show Post.


  On Monday I took a bus load of budding young beauticians from the high school, into the city to see to the Hair Show. I wanted  to try to slip into the show with the class, on the schools dime, but where I was directed to drop them off, and where they let me park, was a quarter of a mile apart. By the time that I got into the building, my cargo was nowhere to be found.

 It was my intention to write this masterpiece on my adventure at the Hair Show, but as much as I love and appreciate the few of you who actually come here to read this drivel, the $25 that it would of cost me to buy my way into a show, that I didn't really want to see all that badly, just to report back to you on it, didn't seem like all that good of an investment.

  So, as an alternative, you get the non-Hair Show, Hair Show post instead.

  First, the obvious. If you're going to go to the Hair Show, and you're a guy, you're going to be in the minority. Very much so!

   Now, I realise that there are also a good deal of very talented men in the beauty culture field, and I saw some of those men there. But for the most part, I would say it was at least 95% women. And, if you are apt to do as I am, when faced with the situation of having to wait for a good deal of time before you are called upon for your particular set of skills, (which in my case, was driving the bus) you are going to watch the crowd.

  The best way to watch the crowd is to blend in and to not draw attention to yourself. Blending in is a little bit hard to do when you when you're in the 5% of the minority and you wear a cap to the hair show. Which is a funny turn of events, because I blended in quite nicely when I wore pretty much exactly the same outfit to the Farm Show, a couple weeks prior. Also, when you're so radically outnumbered by the opposite sex, it's harder to feel like you're friendly appreciative guy, and more like oggle-ing creeper guy. Unless of course, you're extremely confident guy, which I tend to not be.

  I pretty much drank coffee and pretended to play on my phone. Which, now that I think about it.........pushes me more into the creeper category than I really want to be.

  I consider myself to be pretty open minded and willing to try new ideas and experiences. That being said, I don't really think I belonged at the Hair Show. Don't get me wrong, if I had been there, in the company of my wife, or even a friend with any sort of connection to that field, I would have been more than happy to wander about the exhibits. But as a fellow who, more often than not wears a cap as part of his wardrobe, and has had maybe 3 different hairstyles over about 40 years, I was more out of place than not. I enjoyed myself, but I don't think I would have gone if I hadn't been asked to drive the bus.

  As the show wrapped up, I parked as close to where I dropped my crew off as I could and went inside to wait for them. I found it extremely interesting to watch the different hairstyles as people left the show. I assumed that they must have been doing make-overs there, because the hairstyles were far more interesting on the way out, than the had been on the way in.

  Maybe, if I had gone in, this 45 year old farmer would have stepped up and gotten some bold new doo? I can't say for sure, but hey, why not? I suspect that I'm not going to have the hair that I've still got for all that much longer. Maybe it's time for grand new hairstyle #4. I wonder how I would look with green hair, and a John Deere logo shaved into the back? I'd probably stick out at the Farm Show?

  ........................also, I'm currently trying to convince my wife to shave half of her head and dye the other side blue. So far, she hasn't warmed up to the idea.



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32 comments:

  1. You're a brave man for going inside the hair show instead of just waiting in the bus. Take care.

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    1. If I could have gotten into the show for even half of the 25 bucks, I probably would have wandered about. I was waiting for about 5 hours. That's a long time to wait on the bus.

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    2. That is a long time. Sorry you didn't get to see the show :(

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  2. No, Ken what you need is a Mohawk. Why? Because Mohawks are freaking sweet that's why.

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    1. Hi Holly,

      A Mohawk is going to make it a bit difficult to wear my cap? But......maybe? :)

      Delete
  3. I'm lucky in the hair category. Still a full head at 60. People watching especially the opposite sex is entertaining but you are right. You don't want to appear creepy.
    I have not been to blogger conference but I get the feeling that those would have similar male/female ratios.

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    1. It was a bit of an unusual situation, being outnumbered on such a large scale. I felt quite self conscious about people watching.

      I haven't been to a blogger conference either, I think you may be right about the numbers.

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  4. Ken, my friend,

    Your experiences never cease to amaze. You really do have some interesting events and your running commentary type observations of them are highly entertaining. No - you are right on this one: Ken-inahairshow....no, just no. Ha ha.

    Brings me back to earlier talk about a writers/bloggers conference. I think you would thoroughly enjoy. There was quite an even mix, I think, at the writers conference I went to, but I'm not sure if the women might outnumber the men slightly in blogworld.

    You know, what would have been funny - if you had decided to step outside of your persona and 'normal' reaction to blend in and you marched around that place at all the exhibits like you owned the place. Work.that.cap. Ha ha!

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    1. Hello, my friend!

      I never really thought that the things that I do would be all that interesting to other people. Doesn't everybody end up at the Hair Show at some point in their life?

      I agree with you on the writers conference possibly being a bit more equal in regard to gender. We recently had a Blogger convention thing here that I had seriously considered attending. The cost, about $200 plus per ticket, sort of discouraged me though. I had talked to another blogger that had been to one and she said that you should print out business cards with your information to give out so people would remember to look you up after. I think that may have been a good idea, but I realized I was seriously unprepared for it, so I backed out. Aside from that one, they keep having the Mommy Blogger things here, which I don't think is in my field at all. Maybe I'll have to keep my eyes open for something more fitting?

      I think, if I had brought a scarf instead of a cap, I might have been able to get away with marching around like I owned the place. However, my mundane hairstyle probably would have given me away. :)

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  5. I'm looking forward to the photo of your green hair with the John Deere logo. Seriously.

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    1. Hi Debra,
      As soon as I get that done, this is the first place I'm coming! :)

      Delete
  6. You have the most amazing experiences, I swear.

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    1. Hey Bee!

      That's so odd. I'm always thinking that about everybody else. :)

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  7. Love that you took these woman and I am sure the people watching was far better than the show itself!

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    1. Hi Jules,

      I'm pretty sure that for me it was the case. However, the show and tell that went on between everyone on the bus, as to the things they all bought, suggested to me that they had a pretty good time too. :)

      Delete
  8. Is blue your wife's favorite color? :) You are a braver soul than I am. You couldn't drag me to a hair show. Now, the farm show on the other hand...

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    1. Actually, I was sort of hoping if I suggested something completely off the wall like half shaved and half blue, we might be able to compromise on a red, which would be awesome!

      Delete
  9. I think its funny that your uncomfortable with people thinking you have interesting experiences. I do think everyone eventually winds up at their own version of the hair show--but how many will be farmers in ball caps is the question?

    I was hairless (not by choice) for a short period of time and now I have ridiculously long hair. I am thinking of cutting it off reaaaaaaaaalllllllllllllllly short. Hmmm. This post makes me lean a bit more in that direction.

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    1. Hi Zoe,

      I hadn't really considered that. It's just the things that I do every day. I keep thinking, what's so interesting about that?

      I am happy that you guys are interested though. :)

      I'm quite partial to the long hair, but hey, go crazy! :)

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  10. You are a brave man! I wouldn't have even gone to that show. Not for $25! You did good, Ken, you did good.

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    1. Hi Elsie!

      Thank you, I'm glad that perhaps, some day in the future, my value as a contributing factor toward humanity will be marked by the fact that I went to the hair show that one time. ;)

      Delete
  11. Haha! You and the wife should totally do those new hairdos and show us pictures!

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    1. IF we work up the courage to get the new hair, there will be pictures.

      ........don't hold your breath though! :)

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  12. Wow, I'm behind on my blog reading and commenting! I guess I just needed a break after that A to Z :)

    I can imagine that people watching at a hair show would be MOST entertaining. I love people watching, but especially of groups that are different from me. I would probably equally love to people watch at a farm show, too :)

    I think you should get a bold, new do! Why not? Although options are limited for guys with short hair, but I'm sure a John Deere logo would be envied by all your buddies.

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    1. Hi Kianwi,

      I suspected that you may need a little time off from this place, after the A-Z. No worries.

      There were quite a few interesting people there, I just felt pretty conspicuous and like I was the one being watched. It was certainly different.

      The truth is, I've been trying to grow my hair a little longer. I have this silly thought in my head about running my fingers through it and sweeping it back out of my eyes, before it's all gone. Changing my facial hair up a bit too. You might not even recognize me! :)

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  13. I love your post! You're writing is so witty and clever. As for the haircut, lead the way and show your wife how's it's done. Maybe you'll inspire (or scare) her.

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    1. Thank you so much! :)

      We have 3 sons, it takes quite a bit to scare her these days. I'd have to hope to inspire her. :)

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  14. Not a big fan of Hair Shows myself, but I'm probably not that girlie to begin with so that's basically no shocker :P.

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    1. Hi Annika,

      It was surprising, the number of women who showed up with wheely cases. I guess, it was their intention to fill them up with hair care products while they were there. That, or they were competing in the competitions?

      I hate to paint them all with the same brush, but the vast majority of them did look like girly girls. :)

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  15. Hair Show? I have heard of the concept but never thought about it before. Does the best doo win something? Do they use an iPad and project the image on the screen so people can inspect it closely? Is there a lice seminar? You have to get in there next time.

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    1. From what I saw, peeking through the doors, they had a main stage where the stylists competed, with a giant screen behind it there they projected the work onto and it was judged.

      Also, there was a trade show with everything hair and cosmetic related where you could buy things.

      Apparently there was seminars as well with famous hair type people. I didn't know who they were.

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  16. Nevermind the hair show for a second and reflect on this if you will. No matter where I go, as a white American, I am in the minority. America has gone African/Hispanic! I'm not a racist by any means, I just find it interesting that a country that was once dominated by whites is now a minority!

    I've spent the last 20 years with the same hairstyle....buzzcut! I do it myself, it's cheaper that way. Plus it doesn't matter what my hair looks like as I too, always wear a hat.

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