Shorn

I had a haircut today at that place people get a haircut when they're short on change but high on patience (and a nose that is difficult to offend). I've had my hair cut there almost exclusively this year, simply because I like the illusion that I am saving money, and also because it's close to the Plantation.

When I take a haircut, I make it a point to smile at myself in the mirror at least once in a while. I want to try on the emerging hair with the expression I would like to wear the most often. The stylist did not seem to notice, so I guess it was all right.

Then I had a thought: I'm gonna need a haircut again in a few months. I think that realization caught me because the stylist today was the same person who cut my hair the last time. And I think I was even wearing the same shirt. Why should I cut my hair? If it's going to grow back anyway, why even fight it? Stuff like growing hair... that's like entropy, man, nay, like the "kipple" in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?. What's the use?

Of course, when I walked out of the double doors, the late afternoon wind ran between the strands of my now adequately-thinned hair and over my scalp. That's a feeling I haven't had in, well, a month.

So that's why.

Thanks for reading.

Song in my head: Lenny Kravitz, "Are You Gonna Go My Way".

Random variable

Has anyone ever thought of just how poetic a name the "Jaws of Life" is? I mean, it's a device with a pair of jaws which seeks to prolong the life of victims trapped in twisted cars and whatnot.

Song in my head: Jack White and Alicia Keys, "Another Way to Die".

Special character

My mother has a habit of whipping out the Magic Mic and singing karaoke on random nights. Tonight was one of them. Naturally, after I ate dinner, I joined her for some of the songs, and we noticed an oddity: a song that I know as "Longer" by Dan Fogelberg was masquerading under the title "Lonely". We clearly saw the opening lines of the song "Longer", so I decided to select it, and thereby discovered a song we thought didn't exist in our magic mic.

The revelation brought to mind my very short stay in Saipan last weekend. A couple of brothers was driving me towards the hotel, and as we were talking story I realized that Saipan was filled with green stuff and buildings. If it wasn't being taken over by vegetation, it was the site of some commercial center or hotel or store.

It wasn't until someone asked me about it when I touched back down onto Guam that I realized that I didn't see any houses when I was there. Now that I think about it, I only traveled on two of the main roads of Saipan and most likely the houses are along the minor roads. But Saipan has a grand total of three main roads, and it didn't seem possible that I didn't see any places to stay there.

That, of course, warrants greater scrutiny. Perhaps when I take another trip there, I should stay at someone's house. But there is no denying it: Saipan was picturesque. However, I didn't think that I would ever say that a place was too "green". Perhaps I just got used to how gray Guam has become.

At least now I know what Kim sees whenever she hops there every week or so.

Thanks for reading.

Song in my head: Stevie Wonder, "Overjoyed".