I Stand Out on my Own Terms

I am a self-proclaimed karaoke junkie. I try to go once a week. And I used to be really good. Now I'm just good. I used to get the largest applause in the bard, now, I sometimes get applause if I have lots of friends there with me. My brother-in-law thinks this is because I've lost my passion for singing. I think he's right.

I also used to turn heads. I'm married and it's ok that I don't. But I'm vain and I miss it sometimes. I know, bad. But at least I'm honest about it. It could be that I've gained weight (I like to think that's not why and that everyone just knows I'm off the market. Yes, I do know almost everyone in the bar on the nights I go for karaoke). It kills me that I started meds to make me healthy and have gained close to 50lbs. If I have to choose between healthy and skinny, I choose being bigger and healthy. Larch is not so shallow as to leave me for my weight gain.

ANYWAYS...back to my karaoke habit.

I went out on Mardi Gras. Being as I don't normally take part in Lent and I'm not into flashing people other than my husband, I didn't realize it was Fat Tuesday until I got to the bar. It was pretty dead considering. It was also my favorite KJ, Sam's, birthday. (I normally make him cupcakes, but this year I forgot.)

Dead bar or not, I turned heads again. This time on my terms. I wore victory rolls and 1940's inspired blouse. And a large flower in my hair.  So what if most of the heads I turned were that of my friends, L and M, and my KJ Sam. I also caught the attention of a WWII vet, who came over just to tell how pretty I was, (blush) and how much he loved my hair. It reminded him of his youth.

I stood out because I choose to. I stood out because I looked like a women who would sing Billie Holiday songs (I did sing one, God Bless the Child). I didn't look like I was trying to hard to be hot, I didn't stand out for my mental illness. It didn't matter that I've noticeably gained weight. I didn't look like a frazzled mother of two preschoolers. I stood out because I choose to look vintage, and pretty. I got my passion back from the small boost of confidence.

And it felt really good to bring a man from  "the greatest generation" a memory and a smile.

Who Spends an Hour and a Half Fixing Their Hair?

I finally have my own laptop. (Thank you to my sister, A, for that). I am no longer trying to run this blog from my smartphone. It wasn't impossible, just very frustrating and time consuming trying to type on that teeny tiny little smartphone keyboard. So in someways, my own laptop is a good thing.

My own laptop may not be so great in others.  I have discovered hair and make-up tutorials on YouTube.

Before leaving for karaoke.

It started innocently enough.  I have been listening to Billie Holiday in my car for a while now. It's the only CD I have in there, and sometimes the radio just plays one stupid song after the other. Also, Larch really likes war movies. Any war really, but we seem to watch a lot of WWII movies since I think they have better stories outside the shooting and the flying and the blowing up. So, there has always been a passing interest in the 1940s. (Sometime day I'll post a blog about the coolest date night I've ever planned).

After getting home, but before going to bed.

Monday, ABC's Castle air an episode titled The Blue Butterfly (click HERE to watch it). Half the episode takes place in 1946 and '47 in a Irish mobster owned night club. Passing interest has now transformed into temporary obsession.  My Pandora radio is now playing a station seeded with Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and Luis Armstrong.  I wanted 1940s hair to go sing these classics at karaoke.

Enter hair tutorials on YouTube.  I really needed help. I didn't even know where to start. I found two that I really liked. This one is a two part video that covers that sort of everyday rolled back up-do sort of look. You know, the one the nurses all wear at work in those WWII videos.  The other one is really 16 tutorial videos covering everything from bombshell curls and make up to Rosie Riveter to Victory Rolls. I haven't tried the Victory Rolls yet, but I'm super excited to try them. (I'm waiting on a 1" curling iron. I dropped the hint that maybe this would be better than flowers for Valentines day).

So, last night, for karaoke, I attempted a 1940s look.
It took an hour and a half. My arms hurt, my feet hurt, and I burned the top of my ear. But I was so proud of myself. And the really awesome part: my hair holds curl really well. I woke up this morning and still had an amazing mount of curl left. I ran a pick through it and it still looks good. And my make-up was still on. I could have rolled out of bed, thrown on clothes and gone for a job interview. I didn't. I threw on clothes and took Johnny to pre-school. I sang along with Billie Holiday the whole way.