Haircut

Just after writing in my last post that my traditional hair-cut posts were stupid, here I am one day later about to tell you about my most recent visit to Nogginz. Still a stupid name for a place, I've gone enough now that I'm comfortable (somewhat) there, and now I definitely prefer it over something new like Douglas J or the Campus Barber or that one place in the Union for black people (what a funny story that was).

I'll start out by saying...actually no, I'll go back earlier. Between my two classes today (I had a break from 2:00 to 3:00pm), I went to get my hair cut. I biked over to Nogginz from McDonnell Hall and by the time I got there (about 1:50, since I got out of class early) my fingers were fucking freezing. I decided, for some reason, to not wear gloves today. Well, actually the specific reason is because I don't like the way they fit in my pockets when I'm not wearing them: it makes me look fat. So, instead I moronically choose to not wear gloves. A mistake I will not soon duplicate. I got to Nogginz and it looked full as shit, so I decided I'd turn around and maybe get something to eat. I don't know why it's so embarrassing for me to turn around, I think other people can relate though. Have you ever been walking, and remember you had to go somewhere else and you just have to turn in your tracks and double back (thanks Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade for introducing me to that productive line)? Doubling back is awkward. For something that seems so easy, and I mean, physically it is, it takes a lot of thought and consideration. When I remember I have to turn around, that's not when I do it. Once I remember, the first thought in my head is "Ok, Alex, you've got to go another way, how are you going to pull this one off? Is there a drinking fountain you could stop at? No. Ok, gotta pull a loop, how big? Not too big of course, that would look goofy, I can't do an about face either, that would look stupid. Oh yeah! I'll pretend like I forgot something, look in my backpack really quick and turn around." I don't know why I'm so concerned with what people are thinking as I turn around. Most people probably don't notice, and no one's going to laugh. These aren't people I know. Anyways, that side-track doesn't really apply today since I was on a bike. I saw the people at Nogginz and was like, no fuck that, and I rode past, slammed on my back break, put my foot on the ground and whipped around. It was perhaps the most bad-ass thing an 8th grader could do on his new BMX bike. Ok, so I just turned around.

Anyways, I got some food at Pita Pit, and I'm not gay or anything, but those guys that work there were just so nice. I really felt welcome. Anyways, got the Chicken Caesar and a large drink, which if you look on the wall by the soda fountain is apparently Sparty's choice. I feel school spiritous. Went to class, yada yada yada. Then went to get my hair cut for realz yo.

I went in, and to my immediate surprise, decent music was playing. Some sort of rock, I didn't know what but it sounded like it could have been a Whitesnake or something of that flavor. Also, to my surprise, on top of the chicks that usually work there, a guy was cutting hair. A self-described barber! Oh sweet gift from heaven. Actually, the guy wasn't literally on top of the other girls. I admit, I would have been pretty excited to walk into a porno, especially one with a greater than 1:1 girl to guy ratio. Talk about gift from heaven. Naw, this dude was cutting hair. And he finishes and it always alarms be how quickly I can hate someone I've never met. But there was this ugly bitch there who was there before me, and I though, "That skank! she's gonna get the barber while I gotta deal with some girl who is hard to relate to!" He rings the previous dude up and looks at the list. To my relief, he tells the girl that a girl will be up to do her shit soon; she doesn't want a barber cutting her hair. Damn right she doesn't. I'd already made the mistake in there of calling a stylist a barber, so it was good that I was going to get a barber.

He was a nice guy, his hand kinda smelled like cigarettes smoked a couple days ago and pickles, perhaps gherkins. It wasn't that good, but he actually made small talk back with me, about stuff I cared about. Like when the last time I got a haircut was, and not if I liked the most recent Justin Timberlake song (I do!!! (kidding)). He cut my hair well, and quickly, and seemed to know how I wanted it, even though I told him almost the opposite of what I actually wanted. I said I wanted a "1" with the clippers because I was under the impression that clippers worked the same as hyperdrives in Star Wars, the lower the number the better. I in fact wanted a "6," the longest of the options for cutting. All in all it turned out well.

So besides this haircut, the big thing in my life has been the decision to quit focusing on girls. Girls have been a huge part of my life for a long time and so far it seems to have gotten me nowhere. It was actually Courtney's idea that I take a break and maybe let girls come to me. I'm skeptical. Guys usually pursue, but I'll give it a go since I'm not about denying change. Another example of this is that the barber suggested I part my hair to the right. I never have before, and I said "Sure, I'll give it a go." So I'm doing that now too. I believe in sticking with things that I believe in, but I strongly dislike getting into ruts about things that don't matter, like which way I part my hair and whether or not I let girls come to me.

I'll keep you updated on how those things work. Also, why do I use so many parentheses?