The Big Day

Tomorrow's the big day! No, not the day I leave... the day I (potentially) shave my head. I know, what?!?

Basically, the ashram bathrooms don't have hot water. And I have curly hair that can't be managed without extensive hair products, which are challenging to carry around with me. And I am kind of vain about my looks. So I decided that before I go to India, I am (possibly) shaving it all off.

It cuts my cold shower time down to about 3 second. I won't have to carry ANY products around (although depending on how fast it grows Matt have to bring me some gel when he comes to meet me). And, I think it will be therapeutic. It will be the physical manifestation of the knowledge that this trip isn't about how cute I look doing yoga in India, but about learning and growing, and not eating anything infected with bacteria that's going to make me... nevermind.

The idea perculated for a long time, but the more I thought about it the more I wanted to do it. I have always been curious to know what I would look like without hair. Just to clarify, we aren't talking shaving with a razor and shaving cream, but just a really short buzz cut, like I am joining the army (which I think Matt's dad thinks I am).

To milk the moment for as much as possible, I am having some close friends over tomorrow night... and all of my neighbors. When we came home on Friday after work, all our neighbors had gathered on Mike's front porch (house to the right of our house) to celebrate the unseasonably warm weather. As we pulled into the driveway we were swarmed by so many small children that we couldn't even safely open our doors, all shouting "want to come over? we have beer!". So we wandered over to join them and of course we talked about my trip and my plans and they all got very, very, excited about the head-shaving. So excited, that Dave and Justin offered to shave their heads with me, and want the whole neighborhood to get in on the action. So tomorrow we'll have a little gathering at 7:00 pm with perhaps the most random crowd we have gathered to date.

That's all. I'll report back once the deed is done.