Beauty school can be a long and tortures process. Especially at the end of March and early April when a lot of people around town are gone making for long uneventful days of school. One positive aspect of school is that we are able to receive tips from our clients. This provides the downcast student with a little bit of positive reinforcement in what can be an otherwise dreary day. It also provides something more important.... lunch money. The tippers themselves fall into an assortment of classifications that will probably be recognizable to most in the service industry.
Breaking them down
The Dollar General
The Dollar General is exactly that. Everything is a buck. Get your haircut, tip a buck. Cup of joe, tip a buck. Carry their luggage, you get the idea. Dollar Generals always carry around at least one or two ones in their pocket to pop out when necessary. These tippers are consistent in schedule, routine, and usually even in appearance.
The Waitress
The Waitress is a hard working woman who understands the lifeblood of showing appreciation through tips. They are the most kindred in spirit to the stylist or beauty school student and typically go above and beyond to leave a good tip. The Waitress loves to feel pampered and relaxed by services due to how hectic their jobs can be always having to serve others. Every tip from The Waitress says "Hey beauty school student, I've been there, keep your chin up."
The Cheerful Giver
God loves a cheerful giver and so does the beauty school student! The cheerful giver is usually a talker, a relaxed personality that enjoys life to the fullest. It takes a lot to get them depressed and they find the bright side in every situation. The Cheerful Giver isn't too concerned about their hair and generally enjoy giving tips that are close to or over the cost of their cut. So the only question concerning them is, do they give because they're happy? Or are they happy because they give?????
The Reluctant Tipper
I have special insight on this tipper because I think for the better part of my life I was a Reluctant Tipper with a little bit of Dollar General thrown in. The Reluctant Tipper does not like to part with their money, and its not just tips, going to the store and buying clothes or really anything makes them feel angst on a small level. In terms of hair they can be a little uptight and if you look closely as you near the end of their cut, you can see just a hint of sadness start to creep in behind their eyes as they realize this whole tip situation is coming to a head. They pay, they know that they should tip,,,,, but if it wasn't forced on them by societal norms they would absolutely put that two dollars back in their pocket! In the end, they always tip, but if you are sensitive enough you can feel them ever so gently hold on an extra tenth of a second as they hand you their money.. (just kidding...kinda)
The No Tipper
The No Tipper breaks down into two smaller tippers. The first is "The Really Can't afford to Tipper". Being we are a school we do get a fair amount of these. Its just the way it is and I think most of us students are fine with that. Some people have a pretty hard life and they need every dollar they can muster. The second No Tipper is The Cheapskate No Tipper. The Cheapskate is particularly fond of pretending to be a different type of tipper while in your chair. They are notoriously big talkers and loud personalities. They are often Reluctant Tippers with no conscience whatsoever. They pay with big bills and then smugly pocket the change right in front of you. In their free time Cheapskates are known to steal fries out of children's happy meals. The Cheapskate is easily the most reviled of all tippers.
The "I am so desperate for a date I will ginormously overtip you tipper"
I have not experienced this tipper but I have seen him in action. This tipper is overly friendly and is desperate for a date, any date.... "dear Lord please be impressed by the huge tip I am leaving you and have dinner with me!!". This tipper will tip twice the cost of a haircut trying to impress the female stylist" Side note to all you desperate males out there, this approach never ever works. Females can smell your desperation and are not impressed, but don't get me wrong, they still greatly enjoy the ginormously large tip!
Did I forget a type of tipper??? Let me know.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Sunday, March 20, 2011
March Madness, The Big Dance
March Madness, The Big Dance. One might think that I am referring to college basketball but actually I am referring to the most memorable and nerve testing week in every beauty school student's life. It's like getting the call up to the majors from the minor leagues accept in this case all you have to do is show up and you get promoted eventually... Still, it's just as exciting. The moment when you have amassed enough hours of schooling that they will actually allow you to work on the general public!
Wednesday was my first day. I was in good spirits, anticipation was high. You know you will get an appointment at some point during the day, you just don't know when or what or who. So you wait. Most the time I think the instructors like to drag it out until the afternoon just to make you suffer. For me it was like playing hide and seek as a kid and my experience might have been different from other kids but it went something like this. I would hide. I would wait. I would then realize that I had to go the bathroom. I would pray I would get found quickly. I would then either get found and run to the bathroom or give myself up because I couldn't hold it anymore and then run to the bathroom. So yes, on Wednesday, I walked around feeling like I had to go the bathroom all day.
When Mrs. Peacock had her first day on the floor I was able to go in and be her first client, which I greatly enjoyed but I knew the chances of Mrs. Peacock letting me cut her very distinct hairdo at this stage in my new career were nonexistent. I was very glad this was the case because I like being married and it might have taken years of marital counseling to work through the issues that would have resulted. As a very pleasant surprise Mrs. Peacock did show up and allow me to wax her eyebrows. This was a nice compromise that showed that she trusted me not to scar or mame her with hot wax and allowed me to get my first service out of the way. All while not jeopardizing our marriage. I rang her up after and she hooked me up with a sweet $20 tip! (Mrs. Peacock has always been the big tipper in the family)
I went on to do my first haircut later in the day and for a first cut I did a pretty good job. I didn't cut her or myself. For my efforts I earned a hearty dollar bill. This served as a good reminder that it would take 20 regular women to equal 1 Mrs.Peacock...
Blogs coming soon... Torture Through Chemical Services.... & ..... Tips!
Wednesday was my first day. I was in good spirits, anticipation was high. You know you will get an appointment at some point during the day, you just don't know when or what or who. So you wait. Most the time I think the instructors like to drag it out until the afternoon just to make you suffer. For me it was like playing hide and seek as a kid and my experience might have been different from other kids but it went something like this. I would hide. I would wait. I would then realize that I had to go the bathroom. I would pray I would get found quickly. I would then either get found and run to the bathroom or give myself up because I couldn't hold it anymore and then run to the bathroom. So yes, on Wednesday, I walked around feeling like I had to go the bathroom all day.
When Mrs. Peacock had her first day on the floor I was able to go in and be her first client, which I greatly enjoyed but I knew the chances of Mrs. Peacock letting me cut her very distinct hairdo at this stage in my new career were nonexistent. I was very glad this was the case because I like being married and it might have taken years of marital counseling to work through the issues that would have resulted. As a very pleasant surprise Mrs. Peacock did show up and allow me to wax her eyebrows. This was a nice compromise that showed that she trusted me not to scar or mame her with hot wax and allowed me to get my first service out of the way. All while not jeopardizing our marriage. I rang her up after and she hooked me up with a sweet $20 tip! (Mrs. Peacock has always been the big tipper in the family)
I went on to do my first haircut later in the day and for a first cut I did a pretty good job. I didn't cut her or myself. For my efforts I earned a hearty dollar bill. This served as a good reminder that it would take 20 regular women to equal 1 Mrs.Peacock...
Blogs coming soon... Torture Through Chemical Services.... & ..... Tips!
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Facials, Makeup, and Waxing, Oh my!
We are in the tail end of our book work at school and this is exciting on a couple different levels. One is that we get to spend more time doing practical things like working on our mannequins and on each other. The other is that we won't have to write out such exciting questions as "True or False - It is important to ask your client what they want." We have now completed our facial, make up, and waxing chapters. Facials are interesting, I find myself to be fairly comfortable giving them. I have never had a problem giving massages and my soft hands have been cultivated from years of avoiding physical labor and sitting on my butt and clicking a mouse for the last seven years. Receiving them is a different story, I am not a huge fan of having my face touched. I could blame that on being slapped around as a kid to garner some sympathy at this point of the blog but I am happy to say that I was not abused as a child. "Carol" gave me my facial and didn't do a bad job but she is a little bit more rough around the edges then I am. She is a farm girl at heart, does farm work, has horses, gets up before the crack of dawn just to intimidate the sun every day... She got better as she went along but at first it was like she was punching me with her thumbs and I was getting worked over inside the UFC octagon.
Make up was next and I am not ashamed to say that this was the most awkward thing I have encountered at school. The girls in the room all seemed to be communicating in their own language that I simply didn't understand. I nodded when I thought I should and tried to fake my way through it, not letting on how lost I was. A couple of the senior students were kind enough to be our models and I immediately apologized to the one that drew me. I find its much less awkward to apologize up front rather than after you have made someone look like a clown. I dabbed, I brushed, I blushed, I lined, I blended, I did it all.... Awkwardly. My number one goal was to not stab the young lady in the cornea and do serious damage.
Make up was next and I am not ashamed to say that this was the most awkward thing I have encountered at school. The girls in the room all seemed to be communicating in their own language that I simply didn't understand. I nodded when I thought I should and tried to fake my way through it, not letting on how lost I was. A couple of the senior students were kind enough to be our models and I immediately apologized to the one that drew me. I find its much less awkward to apologize up front rather than after you have made someone look like a clown. I dabbed, I brushed, I blushed, I lined, I blended, I did it all.... Awkwardly. My number one goal was to not stab the young lady in the cornea and do serious damage.
luckily I accomplished my goal! No (permanent) damage was done.
Next up is waxing. I am not sure who came up with the idea of putting hot wax on your body hair and then ripping it off but I am pretty sure alcohol was involved. This too is one of those that is better to give then to receive. I am not ashamed to say that this was my first waxing and I had my eyebrows done. It hurt! Probably not as bad as the poor girl who's lip I attempted to wax or as bad as the girl in the video we had to watch who got a bikini wax.
I read a while back about some guys in Ireland who were raising money for charity by waxing each other. One drunk guy decided he was going to one up his friends and go for a full Brazilian. Keep in mind there was not a professional in the bunch and that this fundraiser took place in a bar. Anyway, one of his friends ended up taking off 7 layers of skin off of one his "boys". That waxing was followed up by a trip to the hospital where doctors were able to laugh at him and barely save his testicle.
(this is where I normally search google and insert picture but in order to keep the blog PG we will skip it this time)
Needless to say, I am glad we don't do that type of waxing at the school.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Adventures in Colorland
"Don't get lost out there in Colorland"
Wise words from head instructor Leon as we began the hair coloring portion of our schooling. I have always been a fan of color, I am particularly fond of purple, but my understanding of the principals of color is fairly limited, I never advanced pass 8th grade art after a major disagreement with my teacher who gave me a C+ for my oil pastel painting "Hungry Squirrel on Snow". In my opinion, my "Hungry Squirrel" was A quality work! Alas, my teacher gave me a big fat C+ and I learned that art was.....objective. So I put down my paintbrushes and never began my career as a starving artist. Fast forward 20 years and I am now confronted with color all over again. Keep in mind that when I was 8 I was diagnosed with being slightly color blind. This little fact makes Mrs. Peacock worry that I could be a liability but I have assured her that I can 100% tell the difference between the good colors and the bad ones! And actually, coloring hair is more about understanding color rather than seeing color. But seriously, I really can see about 99.5% of the color spectrum.
Wise words from head instructor Leon as we began the hair coloring portion of our schooling. I have always been a fan of color, I am particularly fond of purple, but my understanding of the principals of color is fairly limited, I never advanced pass 8th grade art after a major disagreement with my teacher who gave me a C+ for my oil pastel painting "Hungry Squirrel on Snow". In my opinion, my "Hungry Squirrel" was A quality work! Alas, my teacher gave me a big fat C+ and I learned that art was.....objective. So I put down my paintbrushes and never began my career as a starving artist. Fast forward 20 years and I am now confronted with color all over again. Keep in mind that when I was 8 I was diagnosed with being slightly color blind. This little fact makes Mrs. Peacock worry that I could be a liability but I have assured her that I can 100% tell the difference between the good colors and the bad ones! And actually, coloring hair is more about understanding color rather than seeing color. But seriously, I really can see about 99.5% of the color spectrum.
Can you see this number???
Leon says that some students overthink color and end up getting themselves all confused. I am pretty sure that won't be a problem for me as anyone who knows me can attest to the fact that I am a habitual "underthinker". Many a disappointing lunch has been ordered because I force myself to tell the waitress what I want to order even though I have know clue at the moment she says "Are you ready to order?" I spend the next 5 seconds frantically scanning the menu and looking for a sign from a higher power as to what to order. I am not much of a gambler but this is kind of like scratch off tickets for me. Sometimes I get my moneys worth, sometimes its a big winner, sometimes its a loser.
I get color though, it's kind of like an algebraic equation with a few different variables here and there. It's logical. "Carol" even let me color her hair and it turned out pretty well I must say. The one negative was that the gloves I used were too small and being that the tips were stretched real thin, some of the color ended up staining my finger nails. They looked like I burned them so when I get asked what happened to my fingernails I just tell the truth... That I am a cosmetology student and on the way to school last week I had to stop and rescue a small child from a burning car, hence the burnt nails... Oh the life of a beauty school student.....
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
A quick vent
Cleaning. Part of being a student in beauty school requires that you clean up after yourself and help to clean the school at the end of the day. This is evident from day 1. If one student doesn't do there job it effects other students. If one student thinks they are too good to clean or are just lazy, it creates double work for another student. I have no problem if a student doesn't want to clean, nobody likes to clean, but be a grown up about it. Go into the office and tell the instructor that you aren't going to clean and state your reasons. Don't hide out in the back, don't pretend that you did it, and don't screw over your fellow classmates. Some might be ok working in a dirty environment but most of us aren't. This vent is to help me from exploding at school.... ah there, I feel a little better.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Perm Wars
From what I can gather at beauty school, the cosmetology student's most dreaded enemy is the "perm". When one is scheduled, which seems to be about 2 a day on average, students duck and cover and pray that they won't be drafted into duty. Sickness attacks some, others bite their tongue and soldier on, but one thing is for sure, nobody likes to do them. I will say that the system is unfair. Those who don't cry and complain about them get stuck doing the majority of them. Quite literally, perms stink... My perspective is that I want get as fast as possible at perms so that if we decide to do them at our salon it will no doubt be a profitable endeavor! Yes I am going to school for the adventure but I am 100% committed to running a highly profitable salon or chain of salons.
I am remembering an episode of 21 jump street where Johnny Depp's character's wife or fiancee gets killed in a party store robbery or something and he spends like 3 weeks locked up in his apt figuring out all the things he can do in 7 seconds (my memory is hazy so some facts could be extremely screwed up), because that's how long he had to stop the robber but he didn't. Like ie. he could take all the pepperoni off a large pizza. It was a heart wrenching episode... Are those out on DVD?? Man that was a good show.
I am remembering an episode of 21 jump street where Johnny Depp's character's wife or fiancee gets killed in a party store robbery or something and he spends like 3 weeks locked up in his apt figuring out all the things he can do in 7 seconds (my memory is hazy so some facts could be extremely screwed up), because that's how long he had to stop the robber but he didn't. Like ie. he could take all the pepperoni off a large pizza. It was a heart wrenching episode... Are those out on DVD?? Man that was a good show.
21 Jump........Street!
I am sure you are wondering why I am making obscure references to early 90's TV and how I could possibly be relating myself to Johnny Depp considering the size of my nose and ears and my unstriking facial features as a whole... It relates to perms. 20 minutes. That's the amount of time that is considered an excellent time to roll a whole head of perm rods. So this week my fellow student "Carol" and I began competing to see who could roll the fastest. In the beginning, I stunk like a cheap perm! Carol has been killing me in most practical aspects of cosmetology, not that its a competition..... But any of you who know me know that even though its not a competition,,,,, I still like to be first!!! If we were looking at this like a boxing match Carol would be the winner on the tale of the tape. She has years of experience, she has had long hair her whole life to fool around with, and she is a girl. Not that being a girl is a big deal, it just means that she has been doing girly stuff her whole life while I am relatively new to it! So I started my training... Cue the "Eye of the Tiger" music... Started working on my rolling skills..doing fingertip push ups...braiding small children's hair while waiting in line at the grocery store..
"YOU GOTTA WANT IT ROCK!!"
Saturday was the big showdown.... A Roll Off. Mr. Peacock vs "Carol". 2 rounds, winner take all (which included bragging rights and maybe a high five from the loser... maybe) Each round is 20 minutes.
Ding goes the bell. I start fast but Carol is too strong! She overtakes me and beats me by 8 rollers! But wait... there is a discrepancy on the score card. I was using smaller rollers!! How could I have been so naive!!!! Just like in sports I play the "no excuses, I got beat" card but just like in sports deep down I know I have a legitimate excuse!!!
So I adjust my curlers for round two. Now its a level playing field.
Off we go, I start slow this time but I quickly make it up. I get a steady rhythm, I can tell I am ahead of Carol in terms of how quickly I am moving over the mannequin head. Oh yeah, I am in the perm rolling zone right now! I was expecting the perm police to pull me over I was going so fast! I roll up the last of my head as time expires, I look over and Carol finishes behind me. Surely I've won!!!
We count....... I have 41 rods! That's like 13 more than round 1!
And
Carol has.....
47...
Damn! I got beat again! With no excuses this time other than my poor technique... That's not very consoling.... Its like a wrestler saying "well, I guess I would have won if the other guy wasn't just flat out better than me"
Guess its time to start chasing the chicken around in the backyard...
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
First Drafts
I have done my first haircut on a live person. Long layers on my classmate. We will call her "Carol"... It all started out fairly routine, Carol was real easy going... at first. Her tone was like "Hey, it's just hair, it will grow back if you screw it up!" This worked out well because I thrive when there is no pressure whatsoever and failure is an acceptable outcome... My shampoo skills are improving as I didn't shoot water down her back or accidently spray any customers walking by. Settled back into my chair I sectioned the hair out and gushed about how much nicer Carol's hair was to work with compared with the mannequin clients I normally butchered. I meticulously went to work on the back and began to take a 1/2" off of her head of abundant hair. Of course, what would take a normal stylist 15 minutes took me about an hour as I got lost over and over again. Alas the back was done and I moved onto the sides. As I began to make my move, panic seemed to hover and then settle in right on top of Carol. "What are you doing?" Carol asked with a notable amount of fear in her voice. I am pretty sure she said it the same way as if she caught me trying to kidnap her granddaughter at Blockbuster Video. "Ahhhh, you know, getting ready to cut your sides". Little did I know in getting into this that apparently cutting the front and sides of a woman's head is a lot bigger deal than cutting the back. Carol was scared to death that I would mangle her hair and she would have to look at it every morning in the mirror for the next month and come to school pretending that it wasn't awful. My mind quickly had me remembering the root canal appt I had forgotten about and how I had to leave immediately... I begrudgingly talked myself into staying after weighing my fear of doing a bad job vs my fear of all the other students making fun of me for chickening out in the middle of a cut. After some firm back and forth discussion and third party intervention, I was able to proceed and finish the job without scaring Carol into bolting for her car. Much to my relief neither her nor I cried when I was finished!
Could have been worse Carol!
Carol said I did a good job but that I would starve if I continued at my current speed. I will be looking to improve as to avoid having to change the name of our future salons from "The Peacock" to
"Two hour Trims".
Monday, January 24, 2011
Bathroom Humor
Being one of only two male students at the school does have an unexpected perk... It is almost like I have my own private bathroom. Yes, while a steady train of young and older women are fighting to use the girls bathroom, I am enjoying the peace and quiet of my own porcelain sanctuary! Its almost unfair, its like flying first class instead of coach.
Its an electrode thing a ma jig... That's the technical name for it I think. I like to think of it as a very short light sabre. It kind of even sounds like one when it fires up and you can shock the living daylights out of someone if your not careful. Used correctly it stimulates the scalp with a little electron action.
I also received my first reconditioning treatment. Normally used on women who have dry and damaged hair from too much coloring, it helps make the hair silky smooth. Here I am taking in the full treatment.
Note the quitter sock and how I am learning how to get a butt like JLo.
I am still planning on taking the blog private, I just haven't gotten around to changing it yet. Until next blog...
"Sir, we can upgrade you to a private bathroom for no charge today"
It's not all champagne wishes I am afraid. Being that it so rarely gets used, the water to wash your hands is always freezing and when you are drinking as much water as I try to daily, thats about 5 or 6 ice baths for my hands a day. The other problem is that when you are one of the only ones using the mens room, you are also one of the only ones to clean the mens room. One problem that is the same for both sexes is having to deal with your apron or smock when you have to go. Word on the street is that some of the girls take theirs off when they have to go. This seems like an extra step that even though it definitely is safer, I have decided to bypass. (Actually I didn't even think of this as an option until Mrs. Peacock told me.) It has been a challenge to not pee on myself or drop my tails into the toilet but so far I am still batting a thousand!
Received and gave my first scalp treatment. These are pretty sweet, you get your head massaged after a little lotion is applied and then you get your head stimulated by one of these badboys.
Its an electrode thing a ma jig... That's the technical name for it I think. I like to think of it as a very short light sabre. It kind of even sounds like one when it fires up and you can shock the living daylights out of someone if your not careful. Used correctly it stimulates the scalp with a little electron action.
I also received my first reconditioning treatment. Normally used on women who have dry and damaged hair from too much coloring, it helps make the hair silky smooth. Here I am taking in the full treatment.
I am still planning on taking the blog private, I just haven't gotten around to changing it yet. Until next blog...
Monday, January 17, 2011
Working Girl
It was an exhausting week in beauty schoolland. There is no doubt that it is definitely more tiring than college was. Where I went to classes for about 5 hours a day, got to take naps, and got to watch the Price is Right at least 3 days a week. You definitely have to get used to being on your feet more, working with your hands and arms. I worked through college, with my favorite job being as a student service officer where I got to walk around and write tickets for parking violations and get free coffee or pop from 7/11. That was a sweet gig where I met some of my favorite people.. (sidenote. One of my most entertaining moments was when I recieved my SSO call sign/nickname. My friend Tim and I went to a party and sad to say, I had a lot too much to drink, said "excuse me for a minute", proceeded to walk to the side of the house and threw up on some kids bike, then came back and continued the conversation. So for the next couple weeks I was called SSO Chunks.. Embarressing? Yes. Funny? Absolutely!)
So though I worked through college I couldn't imagine going to beauty school and then going to work after that most nights a week. It would be like working 11 or 12 hours a day. I have a lot of respect for the girls that attempt it. I was exhausted after this week. Its not so much the physical work as it is the social dynamics of being in school again. When one student or instructor has a bad day it affects all the other students in some way. Maybe that is why everyone that I have talked to that does hair and is successful says that you aren't allowed to have bad days, you have to walk through the door, smile, and act like its sunny and 70 all the time. Most jobs I think you can make it through if you don't like what you do. Not hair, it seems that if you aren't really excited about it than it will make you miserable.
On a sadder note, Saturday was Mrs. Peacock's last day at school. She is glad to be finished and moving on to the next part of the process. I felt bad for her that her last week was not as enjoyable as it could have been, a few of the girls who wore jeans were pretty cold to her because they do not like my blog. For those out there who know me or have taken the time to try and get to know me, you know that Mrs.
Peacock has absolutely nothing to do with my blog... ever.
Cheers to you Mrs. Peacock
And being that I have like another 40 weeks of school to go, I have decided to take the blog private to avoid unintentionally causing stress on any students life. So going forward, only followers of the blog will be able to read it. I will write exactly the same way as if it was public, taking care to not single anyone out or posting anything that is untrue or personal to an individual.
Here's to a better week than the last.
SSO Chunks
So though I worked through college I couldn't imagine going to beauty school and then going to work after that most nights a week. It would be like working 11 or 12 hours a day. I have a lot of respect for the girls that attempt it. I was exhausted after this week. Its not so much the physical work as it is the social dynamics of being in school again. When one student or instructor has a bad day it affects all the other students in some way. Maybe that is why everyone that I have talked to that does hair and is successful says that you aren't allowed to have bad days, you have to walk through the door, smile, and act like its sunny and 70 all the time. Most jobs I think you can make it through if you don't like what you do. Not hair, it seems that if you aren't really excited about it than it will make you miserable.
On a sadder note, Saturday was Mrs. Peacock's last day at school. She is glad to be finished and moving on to the next part of the process. I felt bad for her that her last week was not as enjoyable as it could have been, a few of the girls who wore jeans were pretty cold to her because they do not like my blog. For those out there who know me or have taken the time to try and get to know me, you know that Mrs.
Peacock has absolutely nothing to do with my blog... ever.
Cheers to you Mrs. Peacock
And being that I have like another 40 weeks of school to go, I have decided to take the blog private to avoid unintentionally causing stress on any students life. So going forward, only followers of the blog will be able to read it. I will write exactly the same way as if it was public, taking care to not single anyone out or posting anything that is untrue or personal to an individual.
Here's to a better week than the last.
SSO Chunks
Friday, January 14, 2011
A quick note
This blog for all intents and purposes may not be to everyones liking. I understand that. If you don't think my brand of writing is funny then by all means, please don't read the blog!! I make fun of everything in my life while trying to protect the identities of those around me. You will see that I do not hide my name, I do not write this blog annonomously. This blog was intended for my friends, my future clients, my family, and most importantly, me. To see if I could do it. It is intended to build up excitement for "The Peacock" which is opening in May in downtown Charlevoix. I am providing the perspective of a successful business owner, a college grad that at 33 yrs old decided to start over for the adventure of trying to make a fantastic business with his wife who he thinks is fabulous.
So please, if you are a beauty school student and you want to follow the blog, then follow and enjoy. But relax! Not everything in beauty school is funny but I am going to try to make it entertaining to my readers. If you do something in which you are trying to draw attention to yourselves (ahem,, jeangate) don't be surprised when I write about it. It doesn't mean I don't like you : )! Also, if I think its unfair that I have to work around your mess or something, I will tell you to your face, not blog it! Remember, I am from the business world, not your bedroom where you can do what you want and it only affects you and your mom.
If I can be of any help to any of you in terms of business advice, please ask, I would love to help.
Lastly, if you want to comment on the blog than please have a profile with your real name and leave out the names of others when commenting. Any negative comments are fine as long as they meet that criteria, otherwise they will be deleted.
Thanks
So please, if you are a beauty school student and you want to follow the blog, then follow and enjoy. But relax! Not everything in beauty school is funny but I am going to try to make it entertaining to my readers. If you do something in which you are trying to draw attention to yourselves (ahem,, jeangate) don't be surprised when I write about it. It doesn't mean I don't like you : )! Also, if I think its unfair that I have to work around your mess or something, I will tell you to your face, not blog it! Remember, I am from the business world, not your bedroom where you can do what you want and it only affects you and your mom.
If I can be of any help to any of you in terms of business advice, please ask, I would love to help.
Lastly, if you want to comment on the blog than please have a profile with your real name and leave out the names of others when commenting. Any negative comments are fine as long as they meet that criteria, otherwise they will be deleted.
Thanks
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Blue Jean (cry) Baby
Only 8 days into my schooling and the beauty school has been rocked by what I am dubbing "jeangate" or "the great jean protest of 2011". A little background. Our school has a dress code that basically is meant to encourage stylist professional dress. Its one rule and almost only rule is very simple... No blue jeans. The authorities that be even overlook the occasional pair of jeans slipped in every few weeks with no punitive consequences. And if you are lucky, if everyone is working hard and not complaining all the time, everyone will be rewarded with a "jean day".
Yes, blue jean day is to a beauty school student what shore leave is to a navy man. Usually the highlight of the month.
Ok, back to "jean gate". Apparently some of the younger students with way too much free time on their hands decided while they were sitting and NOT exhausting themselves doing anything, that it would be funny to all wear jeans on Wednesday. Yes a protest, you know, like the one in highschool where all the drama students blow off play practice because they are protesting that Jenny got the lead in Bye Bye Birdie because she is the teachers pet compared to Anne who everyone knows has a waaaayyyy better voice! OMG....
I am not sure what they were protesting, maybe professionalism, maybe the fact their instructors try to get them to do something that will help them to make money when they finally enter the cold cruel world. Maybe they all have stock in Wranglers and are just pissed, I don't know.
Well, Head instructor Leon (names have been changed to protect the innocent) was not happy. Rightfully so, he has to drink a million cups of coffee each day to give him the energy to continually stay on these girls to stop texting their boyfriends and to put their pokemon away. (Dead serious, some of the more serious gamers cannot ween themselves from their pokemon)
I am afraid the girls were not very forward thinking. Their one day of glorious jean wearing resulted in the taking away of the occaisional "I don't have any clean pants and had to wear these jeans" days. Students will now be sent home for challenging the rule. Once again I feel wronged, I could have used one of those at some point this year!
Leon has vowed to find the ringleader and break this jean conspiracy wide open, until then, all the senior students are getting extra work to keep themselves busy. Its like KP for the seaman who came back late from leave, except everyone on the ship has to pay the price.
It cracks me up, most the girls want to be there, but some... its like they went out and got drunk, woke up the next morning with a hangover saying "I did what???? I signed up for beauty school!!!??? No way!" Now they spend their days like Bill Murray and Harold Ramis in Stripes.
Ok, back to "jean gate". Apparently some of the younger students with way too much free time on their hands decided while they were sitting and NOT exhausting themselves doing anything, that it would be funny to all wear jeans on Wednesday. Yes a protest, you know, like the one in highschool where all the drama students blow off play practice because they are protesting that Jenny got the lead in Bye Bye Birdie because she is the teachers pet compared to Anne who everyone knows has a waaaayyyy better voice! OMG....
I am not sure what they were protesting, maybe professionalism, maybe the fact their instructors try to get them to do something that will help them to make money when they finally enter the cold cruel world. Maybe they all have stock in Wranglers and are just pissed, I don't know.
Well, Head instructor Leon (names have been changed to protect the innocent) was not happy. Rightfully so, he has to drink a million cups of coffee each day to give him the energy to continually stay on these girls to stop texting their boyfriends and to put their pokemon away. (Dead serious, some of the more serious gamers cannot ween themselves from their pokemon)
I am afraid the girls were not very forward thinking. Their one day of glorious jean wearing resulted in the taking away of the occaisional "I don't have any clean pants and had to wear these jeans" days. Students will now be sent home for challenging the rule. Once again I feel wronged, I could have used one of those at some point this year!
Leon has vowed to find the ringleader and break this jean conspiracy wide open, until then, all the senior students are getting extra work to keep themselves busy. Its like KP for the seaman who came back late from leave, except everyone on the ship has to pay the price.
It cracks me up, most the girls want to be there, but some... its like they went out and got drunk, woke up the next morning with a hangover saying "I did what???? I signed up for beauty school!!!??? No way!" Now they spend their days like Bill Murray and Harold Ramis in Stripes.
Monday, January 10, 2011
How about a little Highlight Lowlight action??
Week 1 is in the books salon fans! With a clever play on salon lingo, I thought I would recap with the highlights and lowlights of week 1 so lets get started...
Highlight
I mastered the art of recieving a manicure! Yes its true, one week in and I have this down pat. I sit, try to relax, and talk about how bad the economy is.. I also overcame my fear of being touched by another human being other than my wife. Hugs all around!! Here is the awesome holiday sparklies I chose!
Lowlight
Don't pick Holiday sparkly nailpolish!! Its a pain in the butt to get off and I did get some funny looks from the cashiers at the grocery store... and the guy in the carharts ordering chicken. My daughters were both horrified when I came home sporting polish while their younger brother took great pleasure in watching their anguish.
Highlight
Did my first manicure and did pretty good at the massage as far as I could tell.
Lowlight
When it comes to painting, Picasso I am not. I butchered applying polish and have a lot of room to improve. This one I am blaming on my lack of model car painting as a child and my 6th grade art teacher Mrs. Miller for substandard teaching methods.
Highlight
Got to do my first haircut on my mannequin and though it was what I would classify as "weak", I am good at not putting my shears down, so... I have that going for me.
Lowlight
My first attempt at marcel curls. Mr Marcel should be taken out and stabbed with a thousand hot forks. I seriously can't believe that someone can't come up with a better design.. Its like trying to roll two thin rolling pins around in one hand as it sucks in hair and you try not burn the bejesus out of yourself or the person you are working on.
And finally
Highlight
I found the sweet shoes that I wanted to order from Dansko. Danskos are professional standing shoes and a very good idea for anyone who has to be on their feet all day. I wanted the tiger print. Super stylish and I could self motivate all day by singing "eye of the tiger" to myself all day. Check them out.
Lowlight
Well, apparently Dansko only makes the really cool styles for women. Apparently there aren't enough flaming metrosexuals out there in the professional world to justify production runs in mens sizes. I feel wronged. Now I have to choose between black... and black. (oh but a few of the 5 styles come in a brown option) Lame. Here they are.
All in all the highlights win the week. Until next time, may all of your nails be strong and your hair good looking!
Highlight
I mastered the art of recieving a manicure! Yes its true, one week in and I have this down pat. I sit, try to relax, and talk about how bad the economy is.. I also overcame my fear of being touched by another human being other than my wife. Hugs all around!! Here is the awesome holiday sparklies I chose!
Lowlight
Don't pick Holiday sparkly nailpolish!! Its a pain in the butt to get off and I did get some funny looks from the cashiers at the grocery store... and the guy in the carharts ordering chicken. My daughters were both horrified when I came home sporting polish while their younger brother took great pleasure in watching their anguish.
Highlight
Did my first manicure and did pretty good at the massage as far as I could tell.
Lowlight
When it comes to painting, Picasso I am not. I butchered applying polish and have a lot of room to improve. This one I am blaming on my lack of model car painting as a child and my 6th grade art teacher Mrs. Miller for substandard teaching methods.
Highlight
Got to do my first haircut on my mannequin and though it was what I would classify as "weak", I am good at not putting my shears down, so... I have that going for me.
Lowlight
My first attempt at marcel curls. Mr Marcel should be taken out and stabbed with a thousand hot forks. I seriously can't believe that someone can't come up with a better design.. Its like trying to roll two thin rolling pins around in one hand as it sucks in hair and you try not burn the bejesus out of yourself or the person you are working on.
And finally
Highlight
I found the sweet shoes that I wanted to order from Dansko. Danskos are professional standing shoes and a very good idea for anyone who has to be on their feet all day. I wanted the tiger print. Super stylish and I could self motivate all day by singing "eye of the tiger" to myself all day. Check them out.
Lowlight
Well, apparently Dansko only makes the really cool styles for women. Apparently there aren't enough flaming metrosexuals out there in the professional world to justify production runs in mens sizes. I feel wronged. Now I have to choose between black... and black. (oh but a few of the 5 styles come in a brown option) Lame. Here they are.
All in all the highlights win the week. Until next time, may all of your nails be strong and your hair good looking!
Thursday, January 6, 2011
I'm new here..
I have to say that I was pretty excited to attack the first day of beauty school. Not pee my pants excited but pretty excited none the less. Who would have ever thought that I would dress nicer to go to beauty school than I did being a steel salesman? Anyway, the new class of students is pretty small, just me and two gals. One younger and one older. Both are very nice and I am glad I didn't get stuck with any of the loud obnoxious girls.
So I have a huge leg up knowing what to expect in all this since I have a mentor. Think of it like a senior buddy when you were a freshman in school. Someone to show you the ropes. Mine is Mrs. Peacock. I know how lucky is that! Mrs Peacock is just about done with school... Not only does she help me out with the ins and outs at school but she also drives with me and lets me know when I am approaching turns too quickly along with pointing out the extra icy spots in the parking lot where I could slip and fall.
Knowing that school starts with a lot of sitting and bookwork I have taken it upon myself to provide my own seat. My sensitive deriere and metal chairs simply don't mix. By the expressions on everyones faces I could tell that I was likely to have been the first student to bring their own exercise ball to sit on. I thought about telling everyone that I had a ridiculous case of hemroids and this was the only thing I could sit on but I chickened out and just went with the "its good for my core" excuse.
We have two instructors at the school, a classroom instructor and floor instructor. Both are very nice and yet are disparaged or disliked by most of the younger students because they try to force them to learn and do hair services while they are at school. I know that this might be hard to believe but apparently a lot of beauty school students would rather sit on their butts and play with their phones rather than cut hair.
Lots more exciting stuff on the way, stay tuned and please hit the follow button for me so I know you are out there. I have included a pick of my first go at a fish tail braid! Not perfect but pretty sweet for a guy who never had sisters with barbies.
Mr. Peacock
So I have a huge leg up knowing what to expect in all this since I have a mentor. Think of it like a senior buddy when you were a freshman in school. Someone to show you the ropes. Mine is Mrs. Peacock. I know how lucky is that! Mrs Peacock is just about done with school... Not only does she help me out with the ins and outs at school but she also drives with me and lets me know when I am approaching turns too quickly along with pointing out the extra icy spots in the parking lot where I could slip and fall.
Knowing that school starts with a lot of sitting and bookwork I have taken it upon myself to provide my own seat. My sensitive deriere and metal chairs simply don't mix. By the expressions on everyones faces I could tell that I was likely to have been the first student to bring their own exercise ball to sit on. I thought about telling everyone that I had a ridiculous case of hemroids and this was the only thing I could sit on but I chickened out and just went with the "its good for my core" excuse.
We have two instructors at the school, a classroom instructor and floor instructor. Both are very nice and yet are disparaged or disliked by most of the younger students because they try to force them to learn and do hair services while they are at school. I know that this might be hard to believe but apparently a lot of beauty school students would rather sit on their butts and play with their phones rather than cut hair.
Lots more exciting stuff on the way, stay tuned and please hit the follow button for me so I know you are out there. I have included a pick of my first go at a fish tail braid! Not perfect but pretty sweet for a guy who never had sisters with barbies.
Mr. Peacock
Monday, January 3, 2011
Are You Nuts?
In a word.
Maybe.
What possesses a successful businessman to leave his comfy high paying job during probably the most unstable economic time since the great depression to enroll in beauty school?
Let's be perfectly honest about this next part.
I have no flippin idea!
A little background on me. I have been married for 10 years, have 3 great children, and a bulldog named Eustace. I live in the beautiful resort town of Charlevoix MI. I still have all my hair and can pass for attractive when the lighting is right. And I have grown to be very good at running a steel business. Each year of my working life I have improved and made more money, living what most would consider the american dream. Every step I've taken throughout my business career has been to make my life easier. To make more money, to work less hours, to have less stress.
Then something happened...
I did it.
More money then I thought I would make, all the free time that I could use, and almost no stress.
And suddenly, work seemed empty.
The problem was that I was wrong to think that if I achieved those goals, then and only then would I be satisfied professionally. I spent 5 years climbing a mountain, enjoyed 5 minutes breathing in the fresh air at the summit, then realized there was no more climbing to do and all I was left with was staring down the other side of the mountain.
It was the climb that made my heart pump, not reaching the top. Hard to realize when I was in the middle of it, always reaching for that next golden ring
It was time to find a new mountain.
One that goes higher and is a lot more difficult to climb.
A jump is required... Goodbye summit, hello cruel hard ground.
So I guess when its all said and done, I could be doing it for the challenge or to be unique and do something that most bussinessmen would never consider..
Or it could be that I am nuts.
Mr. Peacock begins beauty school tomorrow.
Maybe.
What possesses a successful businessman to leave his comfy high paying job during probably the most unstable economic time since the great depression to enroll in beauty school?
Let's be perfectly honest about this next part.
I have no flippin idea!
A little background on me. I have been married for 10 years, have 3 great children, and a bulldog named Eustace. I live in the beautiful resort town of Charlevoix MI. I still have all my hair and can pass for attractive when the lighting is right. And I have grown to be very good at running a steel business. Each year of my working life I have improved and made more money, living what most would consider the american dream. Every step I've taken throughout my business career has been to make my life easier. To make more money, to work less hours, to have less stress.
Then something happened...
I did it.
More money then I thought I would make, all the free time that I could use, and almost no stress.
And suddenly, work seemed empty.
The problem was that I was wrong to think that if I achieved those goals, then and only then would I be satisfied professionally. I spent 5 years climbing a mountain, enjoyed 5 minutes breathing in the fresh air at the summit, then realized there was no more climbing to do and all I was left with was staring down the other side of the mountain.
It was the climb that made my heart pump, not reaching the top. Hard to realize when I was in the middle of it, always reaching for that next golden ring
It was time to find a new mountain.
One that goes higher and is a lot more difficult to climb.
A jump is required... Goodbye summit, hello cruel hard ground.
So I guess when its all said and done, I could be doing it for the challenge or to be unique and do something that most bussinessmen would never consider..
Or it could be that I am nuts.
Mr. Peacock begins beauty school tomorrow.
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