#22

Despite all the evidence to the contrary, neglecting my blog was not one of my New Year's Resolutions.  I seem to get less motivated at the beginning of each new year.  With all the holidays and the four birthdays in a row, I need some recovery time in January.

Now about things that were on a list, I have not forgotten about the 35 Things To Do In My 35th Year.  Yes, I am technically in my 36th year now, but if I wanted exactness in my life, I'd have become an accountant and made a lot more money.

I've been spending so much time and effort trying to figure out how to accomplish the bigger things on my list, like getting a backyard for my boys, that not much was getting accomplished.  I decided to shift gears for a bit and cross off some of the smaller ones, starting with...

22. Dye my hair purple

I was 15 the first time I wanted to dye my hair purple.  I remember sitting in the commons at Central High School eating lunch and talking about it.  A guy named Ben at the table started cheering me on.  You should for sure do it!!!  It would be awesome!  But even with the enthusiastic encouragement, I always found practical reasons to talk myself out of it.  Practical reasons at 15... Come on NOW!!!  If you can't do it then, when can you do it?  Here is a list of some reasons that kept me from doing it throughout the last 20 (OMG... Has it really been that long!) years...

1. I was a diver and I worried that the combination of dye and chlorine would be too much for my hair.
2. I was broke. (Not all in your head, you're just bad with your money broke, but real, all I've eaten for two weeks is saltine crackers broke.)
3. My boss might not like it.
4. Can I have purple hair and a church calling?
5. My hair needs to match my head shot just in case I get an audition.
6. Is it going to fade too fast.
7. It will be expensive getting it back to a color I like afterwards.
8. There are more important things to spend money on.

You get the picture.  There will always be reasons not to do the things on your bucket list, but after 20 years I finally decided to hell with it.  Purple hair proved to definitely not be a passing whim and the things that bring you joy are worth it, even if they aren't practical.  Please note I said joy, not temporary delusional highs that are damaging to yourself and family.  There is a difference.

Now that I've done it, I can see how it might be addictive.  I go back and forth between feeling like a rock star and a whimsical fairy.  It is soooo fun!  My practical side will probably win out.  The color fades so fast.  I would have to touch it up every two weeks to keep a vibrant color and ain't nobody got time for that, but I am so glad I did it.  It was either now, or when I turned 50 and I figured it was just going to get more awkward at church the longer I waited.

Church wasn't bad.  The people in my ward are pretty laid back and everyone liked it, or was too polite to say anything.  I wasn't expecting it to be such a hit with the little girls.  Every one of River's friends came up to me separately to tell me they LOVED my purple hair.  If there is a bunch of purple-haired Mia Maids in 10 years, you can hate me later!