Major haircut, again

Five years ago, I grew out my hair so I could donate it. This summer, after accidentally going three months without a trim, I thought I'd try it again.

And because some organizations accept donations of 6 inches of hair, I figured I wouldn't need to go from super-long to super-short. My new look would be a just-below-chin-length 'do — cute and easy to style.

This was my thinking.

Only on the big hair day, I forgot to tell Matt that I wanted the minimum length cut off.

So he carefully arranged two pigtails and snipped 8 inches from each. (The hair is now in the mail, again to Pantene.) I look forward to the day that I can make stubby pigtails. Matt also suggested bigger earrings.

In the 15 years I've known him, this is the first I've heard him say, "Let's never do this again," even in jest. But never say never; reverse psychology is a powerful motivator. Chop-chop, as they say.

Serious hits by Phil Collins

Two years ago, during lunch at Albanese’s, Jeremy joked that the worst thing about Phil Collins songs was that they ended. Then we got our Phil for almost two more hours.

On a seemingly unrelated note, the employees at Half Price Books were recently mulling over my old sociology texts. Two years' worth of books — “because of their age and condition” — were worth $6.25. Six dollars and twenty-five cents, for real? Durkheim’s Elementary Forms of Religious Life may not be a page-turner, but it’s a hardcover, for Emile’s sake.

I was able to buy only one thing with my trade-in cash.

And because of my age and condition, I couldn't resist getting a sentimental birthday gift for Jeremy: Phil Collins’ Serious Hits… Live! (The punctuation is Phil’s, not mine, though I think the excitement is merited.)

Now you can put "Separate Lives" or "Against All Odds" on repeat. The Phil never has to end!