Have a good (hair) day!

I’ve never considered myself a vain person…I’ve never felt I had reason to be. So how is it that my hair has become the ultimate barometer for my mood?

Ever since I saw Kelly Taylor’s perfect-coifed bangs in the original Beverly Hills 90210, I’ve tried desperately to style my hair to fit some unreachable expectation of perfection. And since then I’ve pretty much failed. I’ve found that my hair is like a teenaged girl - it does what it wants, thinks it knows better and doesn’t listen to reason. Only in the past few years have I felt brief moments of peace where I thought maybe my hair and I can finally have a mature, adult relationship. This usually lasts a month and then it’s back to wondering if we’re going to need professional help.

A couple of weeks ago I had a haircut that sent me into a tizzy that I’m just now getting out of. And it’s my sudden lift in mood today that made me wonder if it had everything to do with finally, after days of emotional disturbance, having a good hair day. If it is true, how vacant would that make me? But this isn’t just about wanting a “me pretty” moment. I think a good hair day gives me a sense of control, like Cher said in Clueless, in a world full of chaos. I will never be able to control presidential elections or box office sales (Bangkok Dangerous is the #1 movie right now???), but my hair's existence is due to me being alive. So I ask you, how can something so close to me be so out of reach?

But that’s a question for another time (and another bad hair day). For today my hair and I are perfectly in sync. I just hope it lasts.