Put Your Money Where Your Pink Is

Awareness is important, but so is action. A friend is participating in the Komen San Antonio Race for the Cure this year, and her goal is to raise $2,500 for breast cancer research as well as for nonprofits that provide screenings, treatment and education. If you'd like to help her reach that goal, check out her blog or her team page.

Haircut!

So, back in April I decided to let my hair grow for donation. It was already pretty long, I just needed a few extra inches so my stylist would have something to work with. After some research, I decided on Locks of Love. They specifically state on their website that they accept layered hair, which was definitely important. Anyway, after seven months, my hair was ready for me to make the cut.

Before

I was really looking forward to the change. However, after I made my appointment, I began to realize that I'll miss having long hair. Most of the time it's a hassle, but I'd been getting compliments on it recently and I've had long hair for most of my life, with the exception of a couple years right after high school. I was surprised I felt ambivalent, but I didn't change my mind. And I'm glad I didn't, because I think this is a really good cause. My only regret is that I couldn't do more (well, not without getting a pixie-cut), because the 10 inches I cut off will only make a chin-length wig if used at the crown. But hey, that's the length of my hair now and it looks pretty cute if I do say so myself!

After

Please forgive the mirror shots; Matt was out of town this weekend when I got it cut (yes, my guy left a long-haired lady and came back to a stranger with a bob). Anyway, I haven't had a chance to go to the post office and mail my hair, but they hard part is over. And it was easy!

Thank you . . .

Rachel

This is what friendship looks like, people.

Welcome to the second installment of my thank you series, in which I thank the people around me for increasing my life's awesomeness. This entry is dedicated to my dear friend Rachel. We started as coworkers at our university's on campus convenience store, where I "trained" her by pointing at the cash register and standing next to her while she used it on actual customers (there really was no better way at that job, it's not like we had a "practice" cash register we could use). After meeting, we bonded over our love for books, Buffy, and Batman, but our friendship has lasted because of her character. She's compassionate, intelligent, and she doesn't let gender roles define her as a person. Besides being an all around fun and reliable friend, I'd also like to thank Rachel for the following:

• Inspiring me to start a blog. Rachel's blog, Delete the Adjectives, is great. Her posts are thoughtful and honest. She also writes about herself as well as bringing attention to issues that matter to her, such as gay rights and animal welfare. For Blogathon 2009 she raised money for Best Friends Animal Society, which is a non-profit with a huge no-kill sanctuary for animals. It's a pretty special organization and given that Rachel loves dogs and would probably adopt every homeless dog she saw if she could, it was natural that she'd champion their cause.
• Not making me wear a heinous, $300 bridesmaid dress. 'Nuff said.
• Lengthy, winding conversations, in which we can chat about pretty much any topic. In fact, our guys deserve some thanks on this too, because we ladies tend monopolize the discussion when we all hang out.
• Playing video games with me even though I am terrible and can never win a racing game or play Guitar Hero without getting booed off stage.
• Introducing me to the kitty-cat dance, which produces a guaranteed smile even on the lousiest of days:

Mood Music with Dark was the Night

Music has a glorious ability to enhance or transform our mood. We all have those songs that make us feel happy, sad, lost, thoughtful, pumped, or impassioned in some way.  Some bright songs will pick us up in spite of an otherwise sour mood (although admittedly, some depressions are so deep that even the liveliest, cheeriest of tunes becomes a cruel mockery of our unhappiness).  And some bad moods call for music that will bring catharsis; raging guitars inspire a burst of angry energy that can beat out negativity, sad songs let one embrace a loss.  I like to listen to Tori Amos's Little Earthquakes for a good cry that is guaranteed to bring me to the bottom of a slump so I can climb out again.  Music has been an incredible crutch for me in my life, and I know so many people feel the same way.

I've been fortunate to call myself relatively happy for a while now, and consequently I have felt a little less affected by the music I listen to. This means that to some extent I have been less able to attach the songs I've discovered lately with my experiences. However, this doesn't mean I don't still enjoy music immensely, and I continue to be swayed by the tunes in my life.  Currently I cannot stop listening to a compilation called Dark Was the Night, a 2009 charity album that benefits HIV and AIDS by raising awareness and funds for relief.  Picking a single favorite of the two disc set is, without exaggeration, impossible for me to do.  I could probably narrow it down to six or seven if pressed, and the list might vary depending on when I am asked.

I selected the following tracks for inclusion here because I feel they foster a certain pensiveness.  On Tuesday this week, I took the bus to and from work (the bf works from home on Tuesdays), and there is something about riding in a vehicle (or several) for over an hour without speaking to others that makes me feel very reflective. These songs enhanced that feeling.

Again, while I can't choose a favorite, I would say the spotlight here is on Yo La Tengo's "Gentle Hour," a song that makes me feel a several things, some seemingly incongruent with others and all somewhat difficult to define, including an intense yearning--an excitement that is hopeful but almost melancholy.  More potent though, is the feeling of contentedness I get when I listen to the song.  It makes me feel so happy that I wouldn't change a single thing in my world, giving me a such a sheer joy for life that I even appreciate the sensory experience of a bus ride and all the noise and odor and jostling that goes with it.

I am so glad to live in an age in which we not only have recorded music, but portable music as well.  I'm sure traveling minstrels were grand, and I still say there's nothing like hearing music live, but I consider the library of music available to us a great blessing.

Hair Part II

I almost forgot to share this!

When I was doing research about donating my hair, I learned about Matter of Trust, a non-profit that seems to do a variety of things, including collecting hair clippings from salons and pet groomers to create mats to clean up oil spills.



I thought it was pretty cool and decided to bring it up to my stylist next time I went in for a trim. Then last month as I was reading about the BP oil spill, and decided not to wait. So I composed an email to my salon, telling them about the program. I received a response the same day, thanking me for my input and stating they would be starting donations the following week! I think the salon owners may already have known about the organization, and to be honest I'm not sure which makes me more happy, the idea that I may have helped or the idea that my salon is just that awesome.

Hair

I've decided to donate my hair, but before I can, I need to spend a few months growing more of it.  It is currently at armpit length.  I've been itching to lose some inches; it's heavy and I don't do anything with it. However, I think I'm not likely to let it grow this long again, so if I'm ever going to donate my hair, now is the time. In order to for me to have enough hair to donate and still have a style I like, I need to grow about three more inches, which should take about six months. I will need a bit of patience, so I'm posting about it here. This way, my commitment feels official and I will be less likely to change my mind.

I haven't chosen the recipient of my donation, but I am leaning toward Locks of Love. Based on  my research, I feel they will make the best use of my hair. This is specifically because I have some layers and their website specifically indicates that's okay, because they sell the shorter hair to offset their costs. I have actually learned a bit in researching the different organizations, and I've made a chart for comparison of the different organizations (below). I was particularly wowed by Matter of Trust, which uses donated hair in a completely unexpected way.

Program	Who benefits?	Requirements	Link to website
Pantene Beautiful Lengths	American Cancer Society	Min Length: 8 inches No bleach, permanent dye, or chemical treatment, no more than 5% grey	http://tiny.cc/lxpr4
Wigs For Kids/ Childhood Leukemia Found-ation	Children under 18 with hair loss due to burns, chemo/ radiation alopecia, or other medical reason	Min Length: 12 inches Hair cannot be permed, color-treated, or highlighted	http://tiny.cc/l6u0x
Locks of Love	Financially disadvantaged children in the US and Canada under age 21 suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis.	Min Length: 10 inches Colored or permed okay but no bleach, layered hair okay if longest is 10 inches	http://tiny.cc/kj25u
Children with Hair Loss	Children with any form of medically related hair loss	Min Length: 8 inches Non-chemically treated preferred but any hair accepted	http://tiny.cc/ydtfe
Matter of Trust	The environment: used to clean up oil spills	Min length: none Any type of hair from the head is okay	http://tiny.cc/puank

This week has been busy because Matt has relations in town, but we have a fun weekend ahead so hopefully that will just provide more material for blogging!

"Like Dolphins Can Swim"

Matt and I just watched the documentary, The Cove, which recently won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Film.  He's generally more of a documentary fan than I am, and this was his pick. That did not stop me from being profoundly affected by it.

I expected the film to focus on the capture and captivity of dolphins for marine mammal parks. It touches on that, but it's mostly about the slaughter of the dolphins that aren't selected for entertainment purposes. Most of the film is centered on the industry in Taiji, Japan, and the practices there are pretty horrific. I had no idea that dolphins were intentionally captured to be killed. Apparently, the fishermen sell the meat.

As a meat eater, I was careful not to let my moral outrage erupt too quickly while watching the movie. Just because I wouldn't eat dolphin doesn't mean I have the moral high ground, because I eat cow and pig and chicken and occasionally sheep. I thought maybe it was just a cultural thing. As one might expect, the film illustrates the intelligence of dolphins as a point against their utilization as food. But the film also reveals that intentional consumption of dolphin meat isn't a widespread practice in Japan. Most of the time it's sold labeled as something else. Further, the film points out that dolphin meat isn't even a healthy choice due to its high levels of mercury. It didn't take long before I agreed that eating dolphin meat, if not categorically wrong, is at least a bad decision.

So basically, this movie did exactly what a documentary should; it made me aware of something I hadn't been before. What surprised me though, was how suspenseful it was.  The fishing/whaling industry in Taiji is incredibly secretive about their practices, and the filmmakers had to put themselves in peril to get the footage of the actual slaughter. I would say it was worth it.  The scenes of the dolphins being killed are almost beyond description. The water was literally blood red, and many of the dolphins could be seen swimming after being wounded. Matt was even tempted to fast-forward past the graphic part. The disturbing nature of these images lends power to the film, the power to provoke thought, and hopefully action, in turn.

In addition to providing information and nail-biting moments, the film includes a brief but compelling personal narrative of Ric O'Barry. O'Barry is the trainer behind the 1960's television show Flipper and near the beginning of The Cove he confesses he feels partially responsible for the popularity of dolphins as attractions at marine parks. This casts his current level of activism, which involves numerous arrests, in a rather interesting and even inspiring light. His story would be a fantastic work of fiction and as truth it's even more fascinating.

I will conclude by saying that I highly recommend The Cove, and I also recommend checking out their Take Action website. I don't usually go out of my way to promote causes, but such a pointless act of cruelty really is worthy of attention. Or maybe it was just the strangely appropriate and oh-so-inspiring use of Bowie's "Heroes" at the close of the film that drove me to write this.