Big day tomorrow, as I am scheduled to go get a haircut and beard trim. This is the longest my hair has been since before basic training:
I look like a crazy person. At any rate, I talked to the barbers (it is in Lawrenceville, PA, which is basically the Brooklyn of Pittsburgh), and told them I had been growing it out and the goal was to think long term. What it looks like after the cut tomorrow is not the real goal- but to cut it so that we have a plan in place for September and December when I go back for trims.
So that is that.
Baud
Hair planning is important for a happy marriage.
Mike Molloy
Still time to appear in a stage play as Cap’n Ahab? I used to prefer the long hair/beard option for myself, but it does become uncomfortable in the warmer stickier months. Good luck with the Lawrenceville barbers!
NotMax
Was unaware there were that many Hasidic Jews and Russian mobsters in the Pittsburgh environs.
:)
OzarkHillbilly
The difference between somebody wanting to “look good” for their wedding, and somebody who just wants their hair to be tolerable. I never did the former but oh Lord JC, you and I have the same dawg damned hair. And beard.
U R SO fcked. Still I wish you the best of luck.
NotMax
@OzarkHillbilly
Will. Restrain. From. Using. The. Word. Grooming.
:)
Alison Rose
Aw, I thought maybe you were gonna go for the full Bob Weir.
Josie
I love that you are getting yourself a mini makeover for your wedding. She is one lucky woman.
JPL
So you have to go back multiple times before you have the perfect cut? omg I would not do that.
Suzanne
Lawrenceville has the coolest Asian antiques store. You should go. It’s next to Morcilla.
And take hair vitamins.
AndyG
Don’t neglect back, sack and crack. You’re welcome.
Omnes Omnibus
@JPL: You don’t have to, but if you don’t you look like you just escaped from the Chateau D’If.
NutmegAgain
You didn’t ask, but that color purple is very flattering!
Other MJS
Makes me think of Peter Schickele.
suzanne
Okay, I read this article about a woman who fixed up a house in Liverpool. Was not expecting to read this little interlude:
Baud
@suzanne:
Best Oxford comma example ever.
OzarkHillbilly
@NotMax: :-) :-)
Omnes Omnibus
@suzanne: I would think the dominatrix gig would pay better.
BigJimSlade
Aw, c’mon, go for the full Rick Rubin!
Jay
@Omnes Omnibus:
too many married men get it for free,…..
Lavocat
Lookit tha size o’ that boyz heed! … That’s a huge noggin’!
Tony Jay
@AndyG:
I’ll have that on a T-Shirt, please.
Omnes Omnibus
Phrasing!
kindness
John’s Deadheadism is showing. Will he ever have a pony tail? I doubt it.
Jay
@Omnes Omnibus:
used to teach a Dom class, 3/4 of the students were married women in their mid 30’s,
The husbands probably thought they were going to get the whole stockings and high heels experience rather than a chore list backed by iron disipline
Ohio Mom
I like the beard but as I recall, it’s shaved off every summer, not to return until late fall. And I second that the purple shirt is very becoming.
Cole remains for all of us an example of living intentionally and being brave enough to change when something isn’t longer working for us
suzanne
@Jay:
A combination of my kinks….. slutty shoes and home improvements. Le sigh.
BeautifulPlumage
@AndyG: OMG. I was going to make a crack about ear hair but…
Citizen Alan
@suzanne: The only funny line in Exit to Eden is when a BDSM “slave” asks Rosie O’Donnell “How can I fulfill your fantasy?” and she replies “Go paint my house.”
Spanky
Ummmmmmm…
lowtechcyclist
@Baud:
But he doesn’t yet have a hair apparent.
Omnes Omnibus
@lowtechcyclist: There are many apparent.
The Kropenhagen Interpretation
That’s what I call life goals.
Btfitzaz48
@Josie: me too and congrations John Cole
WaterGirl
@OzarkHillbilly: I had to add that as a rotating tag. (slightly edited)
You are so fucked. Still, I wish you the best of luck.
sukabi
Steve’s gonna be mad you didn’t use his stylist.
Steeplejack
I got a great haircut yesterday! For some reason I have a hard time getting one that satisfies me, so I tend to procrastinate until my hair gets so long that it really bugs me. I don’t think my hair is particularly difficult or that I’m too fussy. I think it’s a communication problem. I like “short but not military short,” but all too often I end up with a cut that’s way too short on the sides, which looks “military” to me. And I can’t really tell what’s going on when I’m in the chair. I can judge only afterwards—and usually only the next day, after I’ve taken a shower and done my usual (non-)routine (towel dry and brush).
I’ve been going to a new person for the last few haircuts. I started off telling her “Not short!” and got sort of okay haircuts, but longer than I wanted. The last one was mediocre because one side was longer than the other—not a lot but slightly irritating. Yesterday I decided to go for it and had a discussion with the her about “short but not military” and the sides extremely short. She said, “Oh, you want it to blend,” and I thought, That’s it exactly. And she did a great job. I got a short haircut but without the buzz-cut sides. I’m taking a couple of pictures to document this for future reference.
And it feels great for my hair to not be bothering me all the time.
Ripley
When the COVID was “getting real” and they shut down the hair salons, I had a bit of concern but not any real sense of “OMG my hair!”. I work in small, regional healthcare, and we had more pressing issues to contend with on a daily basis – and much more concerning near- to mid-future issues. I can honestly tell you that the fear was palpable, for a good part of 2020.
I ended up showering, running my hands through my hair a few times and calling it good. No brush, no product, no worries. People would say, “Rip, you’re hair’s getting so long.” My response was “Quarantine hair, I don’t care!”, which became a rallying slogan for a number of folks, especially our coworkers who were stuck in full PPE for 8-12 hours a day.
I seriously entertained the idea of “Fuck it, I’m middle aged – I’ll go back to surfer hair”, but… it felt kind of good to get back to routine. And I love the lady who takes care of my hair. But I’m still middle aged, so who knows?
Omnes Omnibus
@Steeplejack: I have someone I have been going to for several years now. She knows exactly what I want. I can tell her that I want it a little longer or shorter than the last time and she nails it. Particularly impressive as I go at least two and often three months between cuts.
@Ripley: There were two kinds of Covid hair for men. Self-barbered buzzcuts and shaggy AF. I am too vain to go at my own head with a clippers, so I was very shaggy. My dad who tends to go longer than I do between cuts normally had nearly shoulder length hair by the end. My mother was not thrilled; she thought, given his tendency to wear old clothes, that if he was seen outside the police might take him in for welfare check.
geg6
@NotMax:
Former inner city shithole neighborhood that is now gentrified, super hip and ridiculously expensive. Jewish people in Pittsburgh all live in Squirrel Hill (only a slight exaggeration). And I’ve never seen a Hasidic Jew in Pittsburgh. Ever.
Ascap_scab
Ask for the Kyle Petty ponytale cut.
C Stars
@Suzanne: wait, talk more about hair vitamins. I have more and longer hair than Cole but the frizz factor is about the same if I don’t aggressively blow dry it straight (& even sometimes when I do). Do hair vitamins help with that?
C Stars
@AndyG: “Don’t neglect”? What are you supposed to do with them, depilate? That doesn’t seem quite up Cole’s alley, so to speak.
Omnes Omnibus
@C Stars: If you don’t know, don’t ask.
C Stars
@Omnes Omnibus: 😬 Now I really want to know.
Suzanne
@C Stars:
I don’t think so? I had a lot of hair fall post-pregnancy, so I take a ton of vitamins. I take iron-free prenatals, even though I am not pregnant or planning to be, because prenatals make your hair so awesome. I also take a “hair, skin, nails” vitamin, and a collagen. My hair is growing back so thick. During the pandemic, I didn’t cut it, and I had this really visible line where it was full thickness above and significantly thinner below. I was going to just trim it until it was all even, but hahaha yeah I am not that patient. So a few months ago, I had her cut it to about my shoulders and I am slowly growing it out.
Protein treatments help with the frizz! I am a super-curly person. I know of frizz.
ETA: also that Dyson hair dryer is fantastic for not burning your hair, which makes the frizz worse. I bought mine as a refurb, so like 75% cheaper. Heat styling is bad!
Steeplejack
@Omnes Omnibus:
Shaggy here during COVID. The longest I went without a haircut was five months toward the end of 2020. In my typical “wait too long” mode I usually go about three months between haircuts.
I started with this new person, Sandy, last November and was going about every two months, wanting to build the kind of relationship you’re talking about. I did let it go three months before yesterday because I was bummed about the previous uneven cut. I think I’ll go in for a trim in a few weeks and imprint this new do on both Sandy and me.
C Stars
@Suzanne: Ooh, I will look at the protein treatments and Dyson device. My hair guy recommended Brazilian blowout but when I looked it up the word “cancer” kept popping out at me and I decided nope. Thanks for the beauty tips!
Suzanne
@C Stars: So for the protein treatments, there are really nice ones, but I like the Palmer’s one, and it is cheap. There is also a nice cheap hair mask at Trader Joe’s. I also tried the Wonder Water, and it works really well to make hair super-smooth, but the smell is not my favorite. The ColorWow Dream Coat is awesome if you absolutely must heat style. Silky smooth.
C Stars
@Suzanne: Wow thanks! You’d think at 46 I would have my hair figured out but I don’t. The problem is that it is very curly and thick but after many “curly cuts” I finally just had to admit that I prefer to wear it straight and smooth. I see the Palmer’s stuff in the same section where I get my coconut oil shampoo. I will pick some up.
Ruckus
My beard is 50 yrs old next month and quite a bit fuller and longer than John’s. OTOH my roof is pretty sparse and gets a spruce tomorrow. Which takes about 3 minutes with the electric.
That beard anniversary is the exact same time I stepped of a USN ship for the absolutely last time.
Pennsylvanian
@C Stars: “figured out” If ever it were so!
I know I don’t contribute much, but I am always here, and feel in community here.
I have absolutely nothing to contribute to the hair care discussion, but I am fascinated.
I have to go to a semi-swanky event that may require a hat. And a hairstyle. I’m listening!
Yutsano
Wow. I’m gay as a plaid rabbit and couldn’t care less about my hair. I cut it about every 3-4 months but I tend to stick to a particular style. I mean, I do have hair goals but I keep wussing out. I’ll get there in a year or two maybe.
Ann
I love your hair as is. However, the beard definitely needs some work. Good luck!
Janus Daniels
Solution: whole head buzzcut. It lasts & you can do it yourself.