You get what you pay for, some times....

It's been awhile since I have blogged. Life is the culprit. I have every intention of writing on this blog every week, but then I either get busy or distracted... more distracted . And you know what they say about good intentions (Who are "They" and why do we listen to them any way?) "They" say "Good intentions pave the road to hell." Well at least when I leave in my hand basket the road will be paved :).

See distracted... that and the fact that I cannot type. How ironic to have a blog and only be able to hunt and peck. Now mind you I do this very quickly, but on a laptop I make quite a few mistakes!! Oh well such is life.

So tomorrow I am supposed to be getting my hair done. Cut, color and crazy chunky blonde streaks. I get bored very easily. And my heart is split in two.... I have the rocker/punk chick in me who is wild, doesn't give a damn about who you are or what you think. I'm gonna do what I want when I want rebel with out a clue. Then the other half is the mom and country kind of gal. Who has manners, is educated, and most days worries about hurting other peoples' feelings (Most days) Now I must admit, the older I get and the more comfortable I get in my own skin, the more the "Say what she thinks, devil may care" gal tends to come out....anyway back to my hair....

See with my hair that is the one thing I can get crazy and edgy with that is not permanent. I can have black hair with pink streaks because if I want to change it I can in a week. One day it can be at my waist and the next short and spiky... and with the modern invention of "extentions" and wigs I can have waist length hair the following day... But here is the thing that I have found.... you have to be very careful even though it is "Only hair"... sometimes you do get what you pay for.

I used to go to Carltons and pay $100 for a hair cut... just a hair cut. Now then if we throw in a color or highlights we were looking at a good $300... yes for hair!!! But I justified it in a couple of ways... I didn't have kids... I did it once every 3 or 4 months, and it was MY HAIR... and I can be vain. I know this about myself and I am comfortable with it. Judge me if you will but while you are cleaning up my back yard perhaps you should tend to your own... just saying. And yes I know vanity is a sin, but hey as I mentioned earlier I am already headed to the basement I am sure so vanity isn't an issue. Plus I am not over obnoxious about it, I just like to look good and take care of myself. Not go outside with out lip gloss and mascara. I am just one of those women... remember your back yard?? Hows that working for you?

So where was I??? Oh yes...hair... then came kids, bills, and life. No more Carlton's and $300 hair expenses...and unfortunately that still holds true today. But I also know this, Carlton's and all of those chic-chic hair salons are over priced. But I have also learned you can't just walk into any old salon and for $80 get a cut, color, highlight and style. That is unless you want to have your hair fall out or break off, and mine has. It's a fine balance.

I have found some places that are very inexpensive and have one or two great stylists, surprisingly one of them was a Fantastic Sams in Corona Ca. and the stylist had worked for Carlton's but found them to be "full of themselves" And that is what confuses me... it's all the same if you have a great stylist so where do these "high end" salons get off charging you sometimes $1000 for a cut and color?? Because I have gotten amazing service and hair care at little privately owned places and have paid sometimes at the most $130 and that is for a great style, color and high lights.

As a matter of fact, the guy that does my hair now is amazing... and he charges me $130 for all three of these services, and he is as good as anything I have ever gotten at Carlton's. And he's honest with me. The first time I went to him I begged for highlights, he told me no. He could not in good conscience put highlights in my hair because the last place I had gone to had damaged my hair severely and he was afraid my hair would all break off. So he just cut and styled my hair and gave me great advice. I fell in love immediately. I will follow this man where ever he goes. So again I ask, why did I used to pay up to and over $300 to get my hair done? I think I have the answer.... with a place like Carlton's, or Jose Eber, it's their reputation. They are selective about their stylists and try to pick only the best.... I get this and I get because of this (and the customer service) they can charge a premium rate for their services.... other wise you take your chances at these little neighborhood places, not sure if they really have their beauticians license.

So what it boils down to, convenience or a little investigative work... For me, I investigate because now a days I cannot justify no matter how much I have sitting in the bank, paying a car payment for a hair cut.... so much for vanity. So yeah, sometimes you get what you pay for, and some times with a little effort you get the same quality, but don't have to sell one of your kids to get it.