When wearing a suit reminds me that I love my split ends - Day 28 of 30 day writing challenge

30-Day writing challenge through Kale & Cigarettes (500 words)

I was dressed up today wearing a suit. This hasn't happened in decades, it seems. I'm a freelance writer and yoga teacher. And I'm a mother of three. For many years, I'm not sure I brushed my hair every day.

But I don't want to look like a man

Today I'm wearing a full blown suit. My daughter said to me, "Mom, you look like a business bitch." She went on to say, "but with your hair down you look like a surfer. You should probably put it in a bun so you look like a man. That's what the business bitches do."

She is a teenager. But this is a good topic. Back to the masculine and feminine conversation. Why do women need to dress like a man? Is it to succeed in the corporate world? Or is a suit a conservative gesture, similiar to the uniform in private schools—everyone looks alike so no one is staring.

Because you just aren't supposed to have split ends

I left my hair down. I like that I haven't gotten a haircut in 2 years and it's longer on one side—since that side of my body grows faster. I like that part about me. I secretly love when people give me a look when I mention this. Because you just aren't supposed to have split ends. You just aren't supposed to. I like them.

I teach yoga to the person who has cut my hair for years. We don't even discuss my haircuts anymore, only my daughters' hair. She likes my hair too just as it is.

In fact, in all my years, whenever I get a haircut, even if it looks all cleaned up, I always feel a little depressed. It's like my feelings are kept through time in the strands of hair. Or, I just like the way my thin hair is pointy on the ends when it's damaged.

barefooted through tree bark

Such bad words but this is what I grew up with. I've had to fight for my right to have wild hair. (When I do go to a salon, I also get the blow dry and spray, including some kind of hair gel to "calm down the frizz"). I always leave feeling strange. This is similiar to how I felt today wearing a suit. In fact, I feel the same way when I'm driving a brand new shiny car.

I like driving a black car that has some scratches on it. I like when it's not perfectly washed. I like when we have storms in the winter and all the Eucalyptus trees make such a mess all over the street, bark all peeling everywhere. I just want to walk down the street barefooted. I have my own Eucalyptus tree on my own property. It has split ends too! I love that part, especially when it creates the perfect shade over my outdoor dining table so that I can bring my laptop outside and work on warm days.

Going with the theme, I have two Himalayan cats. They are long-haired and kinda of a challenge to groom. We cannot keep up. One of the cats takes care of herself well—the girl. The boy cat just expects us to do it. He is nine now, so he won't change. They are indoor cats and more like bunnies that meow. They have wild hair going everywhere sometimes. They say that people have dogs that look like them; I have cats that do.