I love... [Day Two]

Day 02- The meaning behind your blog name. And a truth: something you love about yourself.


When I first started my blog, it was Cosmetology School and Combat Boots. Well, I graduated school, and lost part of my name. Cosmetology and Combat Boots is pretty self explanatory. I'm a hair stylist and in love with a dude in the air force. Right now, the cosmetology part isn't in my life much. I can't find a job doing hair. It blows.




Anyway, something I love about myself is my ability to change. Being with a guy in the military really helped with this one, and really requires me to be this way too. I don't really look at anything as set in stone anymore. Everything is pretty temporary, and I'm ok with that. Steve tells me he's coming home an month later? Ok, no problem. I work at a shitty job trying to talk people into buying cellphones? No big. Not forever.






Also, to make up for my shitty picture in the last post, here's one from this weekend.

Dun...dun dun dun.. duuuun [My sad attempt at suspense music}

So, I haven't written about this because I don't want to jinx it by getting too excited, but I'm way past that. I had a job interview at a salon a few weeks ago, and then a technical interview (where they watch me do haircuts) a week ago today. It all sounded really good, they said they liked me, blah blah blah.

So I basically thought I was set. The lady told me to expect a call by Thursday to hear if I got the job or not. Last Thursday. So here it is, almost a week later. I've been calling every other day or so to talk to the manager I interviewed with, and she hasn't been there. I don't know if that is BS or what, but today I finally asked when she would be in. She's supposed to be there tomorrow 8-2 (which I think, legally, they weren't supposed to tell me. Woops). I'll be calling tomorrow. If she 'isn't there' I'll just assume that she's blowing me off. I've left a few messages with my name asking her to call me back. If after that she doesn't call me, and if she 'isn't there' when I was told she would be, I think I'll have to give up.

This is so frustrating. I seriously thought I had this job. Why am I so unemployable?

So please keep me in your thoughts. I need a job so badly.

I'm a supermodel, BTW.

This is me as a supermodel. Ok, so I wasn't really modeling, I was just standing there so the photog could set her camera settings, but I think I did a damn good job. :D

Anyway, here are a few more pictures of the actual model. :) I did the hair and makeup, and I also rigged a backround sheet into a dress.

Oh goodness.

Job interview today. I have to do an interview and demo haircut at 3. Aggggggggggggggggggh.



Wish me luck!

One month down, finally starting to move forward.

I would just like to first point out that I still don't have constant access to a computer, so I'm blaming my lack of posting on that.

I'm actually on more of an upswing right now. Things were down, and they were very down. I'm sort of attempting a lifestyle change right now. I figure that once I get myself a certain way on the outside*, maybe it will cross over to the inside.

*While this does include things like losing weight and actually doing my hair every day, I mean it in more of a "people see me as happy and put together and focused and whatnot" sort of way.

So anyhoozle. I seriously think my brain only gets so much focused writing time in a week. I've been emailing Steve so much lately that I can't really think of anything when I finally get around to blogging.

I'm looking for a different job, the last one didn't work out. Basically I have no clients.

I've been playing softball on the company team where my sister works.

I decided I'm going to be a runnner. I'm about 2 miles into it, but I also just started two days ago.

Since I've been paying attention to my eating and being more active, I've lost 2 pounds.

I miss Steve.

He's been in Guam a month and I'm sick of it. About five more months to go though. Blegh.

I will not be a blogger failure.

I need to blog. I have lots going on. The amazing thing about having a life is that you don't have time to blog about it! I guess that's a good thing. No, it is a good thing.


Things are feeling better. They still blow, but I'm dealing better. I am like... bipolar about my feelings towards the Air Force. One day it makes me miserable as hell, the next I'm alright with it. Oh goodness.


Here's the basics- I'm in a salon now. I'm working on getting things going. I think it will be good. :D

The key to everything

This key. Oh my.


This is the key to the salon I work at. Yeah. I work in a salon. WOOOOOOOO.

I figured out my problem. I’m always waiting for what I want. Always. First I was waiting to graduate high school, so I could go to beauty school. Then my parents said I had to get a degree before they would pay for it. Luckily, that only lasted a semester. Then I waited to finish school.






Oh, and it happens with Steve too. I waited for him to finish boot camp and tech school. Then we had to wait for a new class for tech school, so he was there a month longer. Then there was the constant waiting until the next time we saw each other. Then, we were waiting for me to graduate so I could move up there.



That’s about where we are now. And still waiting. Oh, I forgot to share the good news. I got a job. Yeah, I called this lady about a job, one of my clients get her nails done there, and she recommended me. I went in, expecting an interview. Basically she just told me about the salon and how everything works. I had the job just like that. It’s a booth rental, so I just pay her rent every week, and basically run my own business out of her salon.



Awesome, right? Yeah I thought so too. Except I have no money to get started with. I need rent money, I need my own products, I need color. It really isn’t a lot. But I have NOTHING.



So what, I finally finish cosmo school, and I go work at a restaurant or department store, just so I can afford the job I want?



I just don’t know where to go from here. I thought about getting a small loan, but I have no income, no credit, nothing. My parents won’t cosign, Steve thinks I’m crazy for getting a loan. I don’t know what to do. I guess I have to get a job, but I don’t want to. I know that might sound stupid, but I feel like I’m at my breaking point right now. I don’t know how much longer I can keep waiting.

It doesn’t help that I’m constantly waiting on my relationship with Steve. And I will be for as long as he is in the military. Nothing ever is just easy. Boot camp was basically the last thing that went like it was supposed to. Tech school was a month longer than it was supposed to be. Then he got stationed in the shittiest place ever. I don’t WANT to move to North Dakota. I can deal with it though, but it’s just another thing under the negatives. Man, I can’t believe how bad it was when I had to wait 3 months to see him. Here I am, almost 8 months out.



So now Steve is going on a TDY. Far, far away until October. That will be more than a year of us not seeing each other. I feel bad complaining about it, because he’s not deployed. I don’t have to deal with being terrified for his safety. That’s a big part of it though. Bear with me before you let that bother you.



Steve isn’t in a warzone. He’s not stuck across the ocean. Well, now he’s going to be, but he hasn’t been for the last 6 months. He’s been 1600 miles away. That's it. Easy flying distance. I just don’t understand how we just haven’t figured out a way to see each other for this long. It’s like, of course he has to go away now. Because we weren’t using the time we had.

Alright, so I’ll get through the next five months. I have no idea how the hell I’m going to do it, but I will. I don’t have any other choice. I love him so much, I’ll always wait.

So guess what happens after that! He’ll be back in ND for a few months, and then he’s off to Korea for a year. Really? Come on.

Yeah, so I got it all out.







Oh, let me add. Steve thinks that once I start working, it will be easier for me and I won’t miss him as much. Yeah right. Thanks babe, but no, that’s not how it works. I wish I could compartmentalize like you.

I need your help!

Ok, so I'll have to do the explaining part later, but tell me what you guys pay for your hair! Cuts, color, anything you get done in a salon. And tell me what you think about that price!


Thanks so much!

Weddings make me happy.

The wedding was a lot of fun! I stayed longer than I thought, because the pictures were outside and it was super windy. So I stuck around with my comb and hairspray. :) Doesn't this picture look like it's for a bridal magazine or something? I love it and can't wait to see the rest!

I don't know if it's cocky to say so, but oh well. I have no problem talking about my awesomeness. Her hair turned out gorgeous. I knew as this picture was taken that it would be one of my favorites. I had so much fun. Jaime is a really cool girl, and all of her friends and family were awesome as well. It was also fun working with the photographer, and we talked about me doing hair for her photo shoots in the future. I really liked the whole 'on set' thing.

I feel like i have more to say in this post, but I'm having a hard time forming sentances. My brain is frazzled.

My Cosmo School Graduation! [otherwise known as the day I ate confetti]

I got my graduation pictures today! My brother in law has a photography business, so he took pictures, edited them, and uploaded them to his website, so it took a bit for me to get them. I'm going to do a seperate post with the pictures I took with my teachers and friends. That one will be more of a 'my beauty school experience'. I can't corrupt my graduation post.

This is my station, decorated by my mom and sister (she's the one in the picture above).

Graduation station, graduation outfit.

I got to wear color, jeans, and opened toed shoes. Woo! By the way, the reason that is exciting is because our dresscode is black and white, closed shoes.

So anyway, graduations at my school aren't a huge deal. You get to get free services done, which is really nice. I got a manicure and pedicure, and then Stephanie styled my hair. I didn't really need anything else done, and I didn't want to pack too many things into my day.

This really isn't a great picture of any of us, but I still like it.

Aside from getting services done, you get to wear your graduation outfit a few hours before you graduate, then at the time of the graduation, you get called into the directors office.

They don't really do anything in there, but ask if you have any questions or need anything. While you're in there, everyone comes out from the classrooms and from doing clients and line up and start cheering, then you walk down the row of people, they cheer, there's usually cake. Not too much, but just graduating is enough.

Oh, did I mention that my mom brought TONS of confetti and silly string? Yeah.

Ok, so this isn't a great picture, but it's funny. This was me spitting out a mouthful of confetti. This stuff got everywhere. I'm pretty sure I ate some. It also stuck to my chest.

Oh, and one of my teachers thought it would be a good idea to shove some down my sister's shirt... I'm so proud of Bri for holding her composure. She just made threats later after we left.

Oh man. I did it. I graduated.

A lot of people were asking me all day if I was SOOOO excited, and of course I was, but I wasn't hyped up all day. It was just another day, except I was graduating. Well, it hit me a little harder when I was in the directors office. My heart was going a million miles an hour, I felt a little shaky. It was so good to finally know that I was done. I did what I've wanted to do for years.

And now I get to have a career that I love. Something that I went to school for, studied for, worked my ass off for.

There are a few more things I could include in the post. How I couldn't even get through my graduation day without people trying to start chick-drama. How my hours got messed up, so I had to stay an hour after my graduation.  Just little crappy things from the day, but those things don't matter, they aren't the things I want to remember about this.

Like I said in the beginning, I want to do a post about my experience in school, the people, all of that. But that is going to have the bad things as well as the good things, so I guess this is it for my graduation!

Wedding bells... not mine though!

Ok, so my last post was a little bit goofy. I was on the phone with Steve when I wrote it, and we're dorks. I have some awesome news though!

I have a repeat client at school, and she's the sweetest girl. She came in to get highlights a few months ago. She had colored* her hair a light brown, but wanted to go back to blond for her wedding in May. She wanted to go gradually, so each time I've done more and more. Today she came in to do some lighter ones on the top.


And she asked me to do her hair for her wedding! I'm super excited about this. Someone wants ME, just about to graduate from beauty school, no salon experice, ME, to do their wedding hair. To me, that's a big deal. Everyone I know REALLY cares about who does their hair. It's a personal thing. They all want that one stylist they love, the person who gives them amazing hair. And she picked me.

So I'll be doing her hair for her bridal shower next Saturday, and then for her wedding May 1.


*We color our hair, we dye Easter eggs. We tweeze our eyebrows, we pluck chickens.


Here's some pictures of the only other wedding I've done, my sisters. Pictures jacked from her myspace, taken most likely by our mom.

So I found this article, 15 More Things Your Hairstylist Won't Tell You, and decide to do a little editing to make it fit how I feel about things. Again, I didn't write it, I just added somre thoughts.

1. If you want a new cut or style, I'll work hard to make you happy and I'll want you to like it. After you leave my salon, I'll worry about what you think. (I work on people, not on cars on an assembly line.) And if you feel like calling to tell me how happy you are with my work, you will make me smile.




2. For stylists, tips should be 15 to 20 percent of the total cost of your bill. They are a significant portion of my pay. If you stiff me, I'll remember.



3. Sure, you can bring your child or your dog in, as long as you control them. If your baby or your dog starts bothering me or the other people in the salon, I won't be so easygoing.



4. I need to charge you for my time, no matter what you're having done. I am a trained professional.



5. When you leave my chair and walk out of here, you represent me. So it's in my best interest for you to look good.



6. I don't have manicurists or masseuses in my salon because I am not all things to all people. I'm a hairstylist. I really like doing nails. Waxing is ok. Manicures and pedicures are alright. But hair is my main thing, and what I’m best at.



7. I'm not in this business to make hundreds of thousands of dollars. I just want to make a decent, comfortable living, and at the end of the day, go home. I want to make as much as I can, and I’ll work to do that.



8. Men will tell you things they won't tell their wives—"my throat hurts," "my back aches." They want a little sympathy, which maybe they can't get at home because their wives have heard it all before, or they're not listening. So they tell us. It's the only place they can unload. Women like to share their problems. Men like to talk about work and hobbies.



9. Hot water removes color. The sun can dry your hair. So protect it as you would your skin. Cover it when you're outside in the sun. Wash and condition it properly. Spend a little money on the right products. I don’t know why this is on a things your stylist won’t say. I tell people this to insure their color.



10. When a client says she's in a rush, I tell her she needs to schedule her time better. My work takes time. But I will do what it takes to cater towards my clients time constraints. If the service won’t fit in the time, I’ll reschedule them.



11. When a client is unusually whiny, most of the time it's because she's having a hard time with her husband or boyfriend, or she's having problems at work, or she's not getting along with her kids. She should leave it at the door. I don't want her problems. I don’t mind hearing your problems. Just don’t treat me like a shrink.



12. If you cancel at the very last minute, that's lost money to me because I can't fill that appointment with little or no notice. This one is spot on. You suck.



13. The market is saturated with every possible product to make thin hair thick, dull hair shiny, and curly hair straight. But putting too much junk in your hair will almost always kill a look. More is not more. Your hair wants to be healthy. That doesn't mean trying to totally recreate it every day. Just help it a little. Let it do its thing. I’m not a product whore. I don’t really even use any in my own hair.



14. Do not attempt hairstylist-speak. Do you really know what "thinning" or "graduation" mean? Leave the terminology to the professionals. If you use terms like this, I will rephrase to make sure we’re on the same page.



15. Some people are just too large or their cheeks too round for the style they want. They should look at themselves in the mirror sometime.Or too something. But I can usually give you what you want, and still make it work for you.

Here's a bit of my portfolio. It isn't in any order, but there are pictures from my first week to the last few weeks.

Haircut

Highlights/haircut. This client has naturally blond hair, and she came in with it colored a light brown. We've done highlights a few times, since she wants to be blond again for her wedding in May.

Haircut. This girl dances with fire. Yeah. I was shocked.

Haircut. My friend's boyfriend. Said I did this better than when he got it done in a salon.

My friend Lauren. Cut and color. We've since lightened the blond in her hair and toned it to a gorgeous super light neutral blond.

Haircut. I go to school with her.

Updo/highlights. My friend Cayla. Did this style for a wedding she did the photography for.

Cut.

Updo. Won a contest with this within my first three weeks of school.

Updo. Did this same thing on my sister for her wedding, I'll find a picture later. Gorgeous on her, with her veil.

Highlights. Looked awesome braided.

Color. Lightened the top, did hot pink underneath.

Pretty, sparkly things.

I love doing nails. Specifically acrylics, but I can whip out a good mani or pedi too. Anyway, I've been doing tons of nails lately. Not too many people at my school do nails, or are very good at them, so I get a lot of people asking me to do theirs. Anyway, here's a few examples. As you can see towards the end, it seems like everyone wants glitter lately. :P

A little bit more of the other side.

So, I feel like every once in awhile I should blog about a topic. Not just my day to day life, but an actual topic. Today, since I don’t seem to focus on it, is beauty school. I’m surprised that I don’t talk about it more, since it is what I do all day long.



I’m going to school for cosmetology. That includes hair, skin, and nails. That means I have been learning: haircutting, styling, coloring, highlighting, manicures, pedicures, acrylics, facials, waxing, and all that. Basically everything beauty related.



I LOVE cosmetology. This business is so perfect for me. I’m a super hero. Ok, maybe that is a bit extreme, but I’m good.



So here is how my school works. New classes start every six weeks. The new starts are added to the old class though, since they are always on a cycle. So let’s say it goes haircutting, nails, skincare, color. One group might start on haircutting, then go to nails. The next group would start on nails then go to skincare. So the people you start with are the only people who really are at the same level as you. There are three start groups in a class at a time, because the basics class is 18 weeks long. So as a new group comes in, the most senior group in the class moves on to 360.



360 is a sort of in between from working on the floor and being in the classroom. You have three weeks to do five cuts, five colors, and five perms. You get these clients yourself, so it’s likely to be people you know.



After 360, you are on the floor until you graduate. This happens when you get to 1600 hours and finish all required work. So from there, we work on the salon floor, taking clients, while still being supervised by teachers, getting graded, and all that. I also have class once a week, which sucks, but oh well.





So that’s what I do.

Oh school....

These are the people I spend just about every day with. Monday through Friday, 9 am to 4:30 pm. They are a little bit crazy. They can be a little bit annoying. They can be a hell of a lot of fun.


Oh how they make me crazy.

Ok, so I shouldn't have put this picture on here. We aren't supposed to have cameras in class. But this is the woman who gives me all my wisdom. :P A little bit of butt kissing can't hurt, huh?

It tends to come from me in the form of food. I made this cheesecake for my teacher's birthday. It was just as amazing as it looks. It has an Oreo crust, regular and fudge cheesecake, fudge, and Reeses cups. Yum. Yum.

Yum.

These two make my life great.

Here we have Natalie. You can't quite see here, but if you could see through the t-shirt, skin, muscles, uterus.... you would see Natalie. She's supposed to be born..... in less than a month!

Yep. That's about it for now.