I saw my hair on the bus yesterday. I was seated behind a young woman with long, thick wavy hair with stray strands of grey weaving in and out. I recognised my hair immediately. I mean, mine had a few more red highlights in it, but it was essentially the same. The girl, clad all in black with soft edges and small breasts, could have been me, too, right down to the tall, slightly chubby boyfriend next to her. It was nice to see me again.Actually, what I really liked about her hair was that it was hers, colour and all. Sometimes I'll sit near the back of the bus, and not a single head in front of me has the hair colour it started with. A little sad, really. There's something about the sheen of hair without dye, it reflects the light in scores of different shades.
Yep, working on my people-watching. I spent about seven hours in transit yesterday, but that was because we had to head back to younger daughter's school for a barbecue. With luck, I'll keep it down to 4½ hours today.
Writes of Passage Number Two:
This happens more often in Ottawa than in Victoria, but every so often, a girl will board the bus who is bandbox perfect in every way. Her hair is groomed, her clothes are impeccably coordinated, and her make-up meticulously applied. I can only sit in rapt contemplation of such girls. They are always girls; women don't have the time for such perfection.
Take a girl I saw on a Victoria bus. She was sitting with her boyfriend on a sunny morning and her get-up was subtle, yet carefully planned around a theme. The polka dots on her dress were echoed in the polka dots on her Alice-band. She was all in bronze and black, even her eye shadow and lipstick fit in with the colour scheme. I wondered, as I always do with such females, how many hours it took to shave, shampoo, moisturize, gel, and paint to show herself for a few brief hours before it was all to do again. Then I saw her nails. Bronze polish with, get this, polka-dots. I glanced at her boyfriend. Well, I was reasonably sure he had showered, and maybe he had spent a few minutes artfully tousling his hair. Other than that, tee-shirt and baggy shorts, and, dare I say, oblivious to the effort that had gone into producing the vision seated next him?
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10 comments:
that's a great essay right there. i have never dyed my hair and while i try to be neat, tidy and at least coordinated in attire -- the whole "polished" look is something i've never achieved. i guess i really never tried very hard. there are lots of such women in NYC around the office where i work -- coming out of Elizabeth Arden, or Bliss or any one of the very expensive clothing stores here. i find i'm never really in awe of such women, as i cannot believe how much time they are wasting to achieve such a look, when they could be reading, or writing, seeing movies, watching plays... they and their look are their only interest... sort of narrows your world. my mother told me and my sisters she didn't raise us to be ladies, but *women* who go out into the world and make their presence felt.
I come from a long line of women who didn't fuss with their hair, just wore it up. Like them, I try to dress becomingly (whether I succeed is another matter), but have never been fashionable. I do make-up, just eyeliner, mascara and lipstick. Finger nail polish is wasted on me; I'll only chip it. I like to pretend that I spend my time on more worthwhile things, but as you know, this largely involves looking at items pertaining to David Tennant on the internet, so there goes that theory...
well, i am a writer, an artist, i used to be an actor and cooking is one of my hobbies... i try not to waste the time i don't spend on my looks (and okay, yes, i do occasionally look for things about DT on the internets... by the way, did you see that the Hamlet DT did last year is coming out on dvd *and* will be on some PBS stations next spring?... where was i? oh...) and i don't know how you could think the time you spend not looking polished is going to waste -- you're raising two beautiful daughters and writing a wonderful blog -- your writing is really coming along by the way -- and i missed you while you were in the Elysian Fields of BC...
Why, bless you, b.a.b.! As for DT, are you kidding me? I obsessively followed the blog documenting the filming of DT's Hamlet, have been watching the preview of DT's hosting of Masterpiece Contemporary on PBS, have listened (twice) to DT's stint on Christian O'Connell's new radio show on BBC Five (not really worth it, but it was DT, for heaven's sake), and am eagerly awaiting DT's radio debut as George in Of Mice and Men. Not sure if I'll be able to bring myself to watch the latest St Trinian movie, but hell, that has Colin Firth in it as well....
Persephone, did you see the first St Trinian's movie? Colin Firth and Rupert Everett were hilarious in it. I wasn't sure I'd like it and loved it. So I think DT might fit right in and it could be really fun.
I also agree with Bonnie your bus tales are wonderful (the reality sounds hell though.)
Well, the bus tales are reality too, but I get your drift.
From what I saw of the first contemporary St Trinian's on the 'net, it doesn't really look like my cup of tea (sort of like Spice World, or am I way off base?). After all, as skilled and talented as Mr Firth is, he couldn't save Bridget Jones: Beyond Reason or What a Girl Wants.
"DT's radio debut as George in Of Mice and Men."
what? what? what?
when? when? when?
and where?
ah, persephone... i also need you to email me for two things:
1. i lost the receipe for the tourtotl.... the christmas eve pie! and i need it.
2. i want someone to talk with about Paul Gross. DT is, of course, my first and true love... but man, i'd like to do some fooling around with paul gross!
you know the place: blynchblack@yahoo.com!
David Tennant recorded Of Mice and Men at BBC Scotland last week and it will appear in "Radio 4's Classic Serial slot early next year".
Paul Gross is happily married. (Yeah, that's why we don't get a crack at him. Because he's married.) However, if you do not own all three seasons of Slings and Arrows on DVD, order it. Now. Paul Gross. Shakespeare. The cream of Canada's acting community. Fabulous writing.
I'll dig up the tourtiere recipe and get it to you either this evening or tomorrow.
thanks for the DT info... i shall put it on my calendar to see if i can stream BBC Radio 4 when i need to.
also... are we *sure* PG is *happily* married. i mean, yes, he's been married *forever* to the same woman but ... oh well. yes, i've done the whole S&A thing, which is why i'm madly in love with him. we don't have anyone quite the equivalent of PG in the talent dept. here in the US -- we used to have Kevin Spacey but he left us for the sceptered isle, where he can actually exercise his considerable talents in many directions.
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