Musician's Widow

When the economy takes a turn for the worse, people tend to look for ways to cut expenses while still boosting their mood and looks. A few months ago I read that when the economy is low, sales in home hair color and lipstick goes up.

Today, I officially fell into that first group, along with other at-home indulgences.

Let me start by saying that I love getting my hair highlighted, and pedicures are a wonderful treat. However, lately I’ve nixed both in an attempt to keep my monthly expenses as low as possible. That doesn’t mean that I can’t still pamper myself at home.

For years, I’ve given myself my own version of a pedicure. I get a huge boost out of painting my toe nails, and I have fun using stickers to decorate them. I recently purchased a nail color pen. (You can find it in the “Favorite things” widget in my sidebar if you are interested. I do recommend it!) Its like a sharpie for nails! Its so much fun to draw my own hearts, or edge my nails like a French Manicure. I can be as silly as I want to and change it often without feeling guilty about the cost.

When I first started to color my hair (10 years ago!), I started with at-home hair color. However, I eventually moved on to getting highlights in the salon. I always called it my one big splurge on myself. However, recently, I’ve not been able to justify the cost. Its made me sad to see my highlights grow out and fade, but I just couldn’t go get it fixed.

Last night, I asked my Mom if she’d help me color my hair at home. We were both nervous, but we decided to go for it. And wouldn’t you know? Not only did it come out great, but it was time that I wouldn’t trade for anything with her. Plus, it ended up costing me 10% of what it would have cost in the salon. SCORE!

I also enjoy giving myself facials, convincing my husband to give me a back and/or foot massage, and a pair of tweezers can shape my eyebrows just fine. Lots of other little pamperings.

Does it mean I’ll never get another pedicure or never go to the salon again? Not at all! I keep in mind there are people out there making a living providing these specialty services. I like to help my fellow wage-earners! Plus, it IS fun to go be pampered. However, right now, I’m trying to cut costs left and right, but I am doing so without cutting out various personal wants. I’m just doing them for myself for awhile, and there is a lot of satisfaction in that.

I heard an article yesterday that a college in Massachusetts is now accepting YouTube videos of students applying for admission.

An excerpt from the story:

“We’re not judging it on the qualities of the production values,” says Lee Coffin, dean of admissions at Tufts. “We’re not looking for Oscar-winning short films. What we’re really hoping to get out of these videos is another part of the puzzles that make up this 17-year-old person.”

I’m glad I didn’t have this kind of pressure on my shoulders when I applied to college!  However, I can’t help but sit and wonder what I’d have done as a video when I was 17. Who I am today and who I was twelve a few years ago are two different people! However, in the same breath, my core values haven’t changed one bit.

First and foremost, I would have to introduce my family. It’s changed some since I was 17. My niece and my husband have both been added to the family since then. More love to go around! I have without a doubt been blessed with the most amazing family. A family that is supportive and loving. A family that laughs together and leans on each other. A family that I can always rely on to be there for me. And one that I will always been here for… they are truly the people who mold me more than anything else.

My faith would also be at the top of the list. My faith and the hope and strength God gives to me is a huge part of who I am. I am not someone who will wear my faith on my sleeve, but I also will not deny it. I will not hold back how much I do lean on it to get me through trials in life.

My faith is stronger today than it was back then.

Home would have to be introduced. Back then, I would have focused on my hometown, and my love for wide open fields and back roads. Today, I would have to show that, but I would also have to put a heavy focus on my city. I absolutely love Nashville and its vibe. I love its melting pot of people, and the wonderful friends I’ve made there.

My school would have to be acknowledged. Back then, high school and the pride I had in my school then. Today, being an Aggie is a bigger part of who I am than anyone could ever understand or truly respect. Digs against my school could very will be considered a dig against me personally. My school is more than its football team. My school is a family in and of itself. I could never ask anyone to understand. All I ever ask is to for it to be respected.

Finally, lots of little quirks make me who I am. Back then, things like yearbook, newspaper, band, flags, CDs and my pick up truck would be who I would introduce. Today, writing, photography, travel, my cats, my home, and a good home-cooked meal would probably be what I add to the mix.

Come to think of it, there would be absolutely no way for me to capture all the things that make me who I am in a way that would be true to myself. I suspect many of those applying for admission are realizing that fact, and are instead taking the catchy route. Sometimes its easier to entertain than it is to study yourself.

But at 17 — heck at ANY age — its not a bad idea to do just that. Take time to consider what it is that makes you who you are, and a step beyond that… how do you portray that to the world?

I have a surprise for everyone: I don’t fall apart when my husband goes out on the road. Nor do I consider my decision to stay at home for a day or two “becoming a hermit” and my husband certainly doesn’t “lock me in the house” when he’s gone.

No, I will admit I enjoy my time home alone when he’s on the road. It’s the time in which I throw myself into housekeeping. It’s the time I can focus on my writing. It’s the time I can focus on ME. It is my choice to be home and do my thing.

I have always been a big homebody. It’s only been since I came to the city to live with my husband that I’ve become far more extroverted. My personality has distinctly changed in the last few months, in that I love going out into crowd and I don’t fear walking up to a stranger and talking to them. But, despite that, I do still love being alone. I love books, cleaning house, bubble baths, and just enjoying the home we pay for every month.

Most importantly, I love to write. I am striving to build my career in freelancing, but I can’t do that if I don’t close myself up in my house and WRITE. Doing my writing when my husband is on the road is what allows me to run around with him when he’s home.

We don’t spend that much time at home when he’s off to road. We’ve always got somewhere to be and someone to see. I love that fact. I love my husband. I choose to do “my own thing” when he’s on the road so we CAN spend so much time together.

I treasure this time together. I know that could change any day. His schedule could pick up and he’ll be on the road for weeks at a time. (That’s when I’ll be craving to go out on my own more and more just to break up the monotony of days alone at home.) We could find that I have to go out and get a day job and abandon my freelance writing. And then the time will come when we have kids and things really will change drastically then.

So until that time, I will take each day together and treasure them. And I’ll save the house chores and “me time” for when he’s on the road.