Famous author…

By kate on October 7th, 2003

My boss, an aspiring writer, is starting to get some things published. A short story of his is featured in a new short story compilation by Dave Eggers, alongside stories by Sherman Alexie and David Sedaris.

It’s very exciting.

Filed under: reading | 1 Comment »

The Illusion of Solidity

By kate on September 30th, 2003

Around the corner from my house is a Texaco station. Around the side are a few parking spaces that aren’t convenient enough to be used for popping into the Star Mart, so instead they use it to temporarily store cars that have been in an accident.

It is a gallery of the smashup.

A constant reminder that the boxes in which we travel are not as impermeable as we are lulled into thinking.

Filed under: life | Comment now »

I’m 29.

By kate on September 15th, 2003

Happy Birthday to Me.

Filed under: life | 8 Comments »

This month, my Gorey calendar says…

By kate on September 5th, 2003

“… it was too dark to hear anything.”

I like that phrase.

Filed under: ephemera | 2 Comments »

By kate on March 13th, 2003

I am shaving my head on Friday. Yes.

Filed under: hair | 10 Comments »

Blue Hair

By kate on January 4th, 2003

I have blue hair. When I was in Australia, I dyed my hair blue, because it was just one of those things I had to do once in my life. I kept it for a week, then dyed it black when we went on to Indonesia. The problem was, I loved it. For the next year and a half, I dreamed of the day I could dye it blue again. I waited through my brother’s wedding and my own (so the family wouldn’t have to put up with weird pictures), and finally was free to dye it again this summer.

I started with purple because my hairstylist didn’t think I could get a proper blue. When it faded, I dyed it myself and enjoyed a lovely dark blue. Since then, I’ve sported a wide spectrum of blue shades, from a super-faded teal to its current multi-hued royal. And I still love it. When I stop having blue hair, it will be because I get tired of the upkeep (re-bleaching, re-dyeing, stained towels), not the color.

Suprisingly, I haven’t gotten any negative reactions, really. Only my mom and my mother-in-law have been outspoken enough to say they don’t like the color on hair. Beyond that, I encounter only compliments. Surprisingly, I interviewed and was offered a job recently. Far from hindering me, one of my interviewers said it looked cool. People often say they wish they were brave enough to do something crazy with their hair, but what I’m finding is that no bravery is really required at all.

The most important reason why I like having my hair blue is that it is an easy and almost effortless way to stand out and look interesting. I’m not a fashion plate, and can’t be bothered to put together a funky hip outfit on a daily basis. However, with blue hair, I immediately have an edge no matter what I’m wearing.

I also enjoy some of the benefits of being famous without any of the drawbacks. (I’ll just note that I would never ever want to be famous. Some other time I’ll write more on that.) People always remember me. If I go back to a store to pick something up, I don’t have to remind them who I am. I can tell people I’m meeting to simply look for the bright blue hair.

In short, it’s a lot of fun. I’ll be sorry when it’s time to move on. In fact, I’m a little worried that my natural hair color will never be interesting enough again…