Guest post: Hair Waxing Experience

This entry comes from Brigit as a newcomer to our Living Out Loud project. In addition to being a talented artist, she's a riot. --------- I like to write especially about things that are not usually spoken of but really should be. You'd think with so very many women's magazines telling us every little beauty thing monthly that they would not leave out the really important stuff. For example, this is my version of what they should tell women about the Hair Waxing experience:

Waxing is one way to remove unwanted body hair (well, except for the times when you actually did want the hair - like the other half of my eyebrow) that so damages the follicle that the only thing that can grow back is a baby fine peach fuzz....at least that is the way it's working on my body.

No more razors, jells, razor burn, lotions, weird chemicals, cuts, toting the stuff while traveling and having it confiscated out of your carry on but the airport 'authorities'... that's right, like your going to high jack a plane with a Venus razor or some Nair. Perhaps, per the Venus advertisement, they imagine you might 'release the goddess within' and that goddess might be Medusa or something evil and take over the plane. Who knows? No doubt there is a whole separate rant about airline carry-on searches brewing within me. I travel a lot.

Anyway, I've been gifted with a trip to a day spa and will experience my first ever waxing… which seems like I will ultimately save a lot of money by NOT needing a variety of product to deal with hair removal. I think 'hmmmm - waxing, let's try it'. So what was there to lose besides a bunch of unwanted hair? Right?

The spa is beautiful. They bring you citrusy water or a fruit smoothie. There are plates of sweet or savory munchies to tempt you. Large overstuffed furniture to lounge in while waiting or afterward while recovering and preparing yourself to leave this alcove of peace and serenity to face the busy world again. Fountains trickle and soothing music plays while you shed your clothes and don an incredibly thick, soft white terry robe. It is all soooo good!

Yup - here to be pampered -that's me.

My name is called and I am escorted to a small room. I tell the lovely, very pretty, very young lady what I want done and yes, that I am a first timer. "No problem." she smiles "We'll start with the armpits first." Grrrreeaaat.

So first goes on the cleanser to remove any unwanted body oils and residuals of other products. Makes sense and feels nice. Next there is powder to protect the skin... that a little worrisome, what are we protecting my skin from?... but feels nice and smells good. The wax - which is warm and honey smelling, glides on with a roller thingie. Kind of a nice feeling actually. Then there is a paper strip that is laid on the wax and then there is rubbing until the wax cools. All good so far. Until... I am asked to place my hand 'here' and help pull the skin tight. No problem. Then it happens... RIP - in one fell swoop.

There was an instantaneous snatching of that paper strip in the opposite direction of the hair growth that left me gasping. PAIN - can you say PAIN??? Upon recovery a whole bunch of language comes streaming out of my mouth. She never even slowed - the next paper was quickly smoothed on and ripped off just as the first.

OH

MY

DEAR

LORD

And so it went. The legs were easier and didn't bleed as much. Yup. Little dots of blood seeped from each follicle on my arm pits. I walked around for the rest of the day and all the next with my upper arms held out from my body like I was Arnold. Good thing I heal fast. The bikini line.... well, now, my oh my..... there was apparently not enough powder because I actually lost some skin. Again, good thing I heal fast. The eyebrows were nothing after all of this except that I am now missing part of one.

It was certainly an experience. I understand now that the robes are white because it is easier to bleach the blood out of them. And the lounge is there so you can recover enough to accept the idea of actually putting clothes back on over all the bright red oozing raw bits while you are getting your breath back. And yes, please, have a glass of water made all pretty and tasty with the orange and lemon slices floating to settle your nausea while, ideally, your blood pressure is coming back into the range of normal.

The effect afterwards however is oh-so-very worth it. There is no stubble. Nothing much of anything for almost 8 weeks. What hair actually survives and tries to grow back is baby fine and on me, not particularly visible. Believe it or not... I can and will continue to do this to myself. It does get easier as the roots are less and less attached somehow.

Yep, I save the $100 and buy a kit from the Wal-Mart. $8 every 6 months and I’m good. I do still occasionally splurge and allow a ‘professional’ to do it but all-in-all doing it myself is just fine…. Though I do need help with my armpits. If I had started doing this at 18 I'd likely not have anything to deal with at this point in my life. So, all in all it was worth the initial shock and pain but really you'd think any one of the many beauty magazines would warn a girl of the truth of the matter. I am thinking that Happy Hour might be the prefect prep for a first timer.

Guest post: Blue skies smiling at me ...

Donal was sick over the weekend but was very interested in participating. He had even asked if there was a limit to how long his entry could be, to which I said "have at it!" So I gave him a bit of an extension and he finished this in the wee hours of the night last night. Since LiveJournal was being squirrely (that's a technical term), he sent this to me in an email, which I am re-posting here. ------------------

My Blue Sky has been with me in some form for many years. It would almost be plausible, if the right financing could be found – like winning a lottery.

It begins with a large piece of land – about 100 acres. Part of it would be cleared, part would be wooded. Most of it would be pretty flat, but some of it would be somewhat hilly – rolling. There would either be a small lake on it, or it would front on a lake or a fairly large river.

Somewhere in a secluded but accessible location on this land, probably in a clear area near the woods, would be a house. It would take the form of a fortified manor, taking its inspiration from some of the “castles” in the Scottish Highlands that were intended more to protect from marauding neighbours and reivers than to resist a determined attack.

But the house is not really the focus of the dream. That would occupy an area some distance from the house, and cater to a very different sort of visitors.

The dream is a summer camp, a very specialized one, with a Mediaeval theme, where boys and girls (quartered suitably far apart to protect the boys from the girls) would spend a couple of weeks engaging in the sort of activities associated with summer camp, along with a number of historically-based subject areas. There would be indoor, classroom-type instruction, indoor and semi-outdoor hands-on activities, and outdoor, hands-on activities. Each camper would have some of each, to ensure a diversity of experiences.

There would be a family session each year, where family groups would attend and take much of the instruction together, though splitting up for some of the athletics.

There would be an adult session with emphasis on the historical activities such as the various combat sports and historical equitation.

In the off season, the site would be available for SCA and other historical reenactment and re-creational events. The Great Hall would be a perfect site for feasts, the various instructional areas could be used for seminars or an SCA-style “university,” and the outdoor areas would be well-suited to SCA heavy combat, fencing, coursing (simulated hunting with dogs), and equestrian sports. The undeveloped areas could be used for SCA “wars” with large teams pitted against each other in open field, in the woods, or in scenarios representing assaults on castle gates, bridges, and the like. Siege-engine competitions and training sessions could be held also, with enough space to allow the big siege engines to achieve maximum range.

The main part of the facility would be set up as a castle, though it might be constructed largely of wood rather than stone. Around it would be a variety of activity venues: a riding stable with horses, several riding areas including jousting lists, a quintain course, and other training setups; an archery range, a javelin range, an axe-throwing range, and a siege-engine park, Inside the castle walls would be a Great Hall with its own fully equipped (modern) kitchen, living quarters of various kinds, and examples of the workshops that might be found in a Mediæval castle: blacksmith shop, armoury, carpenter shop, leatherworking shop, and so forth. There would be some open areas for training and practice of historical martial arts, a number of classroom-type areas, and a chapel.

The facility would be close enough to the lake or river to give access to a waterfront with a swimming area and facilities for rowboats, canoes, and sailboats.

Near the structure would be an area for tent camping, with water risers available. This contributes to the secondary role of the facility as a site for SCA and similar historically-based events. The water sources would be concealed in small structures that look like wells. There would be one or more “bathhouses” with flush toilets, sinks, and showers – if more than one, placed so that everyone would have fairly easy access to them. Depending on the size of an event, porta-johns might still be needed to supplement the sanitary facilities.

Outdoor activities would include SCA-style “heavy” youth combat, historical dueling (fencing), archery, court tennis (also called “real” tennis*), historical badminton (played with wooden paddles and a heavy shuttlecock), and historical riding, including training in jousting (using targets and quintains). Historical camping skills such as building and tending fires, cooking with fire, and the like.

Indoor activities would be largely in the “arts-and-crafts” area, and many of them would straddle the modern/historical line, such as woodworking, leatherworking, pottery, and painting. Some crafts, like armouring and blacksmithing, would be mostly demonstration activities, to familiarize the campers with the work, though the older ones would be able to do some hands on activity. Calligraphy, illumination, embroidery, vocal and instrumental music, historical dancing, and various other forms of needlecraft would also be included..

Classroom instruction would include subjects such as formal courtesy, heraldry, traditions of the tournament, history and development of armour, clothing, and architecture.

The campers would wear historically-based clothing for much of the time: Tunics and long or short leggings for the boys, longer dresses for the girls. For activities for which such garb is not suitable, modern clothing would be worn, and changing areas would be available in those areas, Meals would be served family style, with the campers instructed in and expected to use historically-based table manners (though with allowances for modern sensibilities). After dinner on some nights, there would be time set aside for dancing (might even be mandatory). Meals would also be used as a means of teaching some Mediaeval-based practices, such as serving at table, pouring drinks (don’t worry, it would be iced tea or ‘bug juice’), carving, and the like. The campers would take turns at these tasks, including the more formal serving at the “high table,” in this case the table for senior staff and instructors. Campers would be required to use historical forms of address and courtesy.

The daily routine would be based on our best understanding of life in a castle. A bell would signal the beginning and end of activity sessions, meals, and chapel services. In keeping with the tradition of the time, there would be chapel services daily. Attendance would be mandatory, though active participation would not. Those whose faith traditions are not Christian should consider it part of the cultural experience. Campers would have one or two “better” sets of garb to wear to dinner and for court. Some sort of ceremonial court would be held several times during each session, to confer awards and to give the campers practice in court etiquette.

In all, the experience would be as close to cultural immersion as one could get, without losing the conveniences of running water and electricity. And that’s my Blue Sky dream.

* “Real” doesn’t imply that lawn tennis is ersatz. It’s a French term meaning royal.

Guest post: Blue Sky, Smiling at Me . . .

Donal was sick over the weekend but was very interested in participating. He had even asked if there was a limit to how long his entry could be, to which I said "have at it!" So I gave him a bit of an extension and he finished this in the wee hours of the night last night. Since LiveJournal was being squirrely (that's a technical term), he sent this to me in an email, which I am re-posting here. ------------------

My Blue Sky has been with me in some form for many years. It would almost be plausible, if the right financing could be found – like winning a lottery.

It begins with a large piece of land – about 100 acres. Part of it would be cleared, part would be wooded. Most of it would be pretty flat, but some of it would be somewhat hilly – rolling. There would either be a small lake on it, or it would front on a lake or a fairly large river.

Somewhere in a secluded but accessible location on this land, probably in a clear area near the woods, would be a house. It would take the form of a fortified manor, taking its inspiration from some of the “castles” in the Scottish Highlands that were intended more to protect from marauding neighbours and reivers than to resist a determined attack.

But the house is not really the focus of the dream. That would occupy an area some distance from the house, and cater to a very different sort of visitors.

The dream is a summer camp, a very specialized one, with a Mediaeval theme, where boys and girls (quartered suitably far apart to protect the boys from the girls) would spend a couple of weeks engaging in the sort of activities associated with summer camp, along with a number of historically-based subject areas. There would be indoor, classroom-type instruction, indoor and semi-outdoor hands-on activities, and outdoor, hands-on activities. Each camper would have some of each, to ensure a diversity of experiences.

There would be a family session each year, where family groups would attend and take much of the instruction together, though splitting up for some of the athletics.

There would be an adult session with emphasis on the historical activities such as the various combat sports and historical equitation.

In the off season, the site would be available for SCA and other historical reenactment and re-creational events. The Great Hall would be a perfect site for feasts, the various instructional areas could be used for seminars or an SCA-style “university,” and the outdoor areas would be well-suited to SCA heavy combat, fencing, coursing (simulated hunting with dogs), and equestrian sports. The undeveloped areas could be used for SCA “wars” with large teams pitted against each other in open field, in the woods, or in scenarios representing assaults on castle gates, bridges, and the like. Siege-engine competitions and training sessions could be held also, with enough space to allow the big siege engines to achieve maximum range.

The main part of the facility would be set up as a castle, though it might be constructed largely of wood rather than stone. Around it would be a variety of activity venues: a riding stable with horses, several riding areas including jousting lists, a quintain course, and other training setups; an archery range, a javelin range, an axe-throwing range, and a siege-engine park, Inside the castle walls would be a Great Hall with its own fully equipped (modern) kitchen, living quarters of various kinds, and examples of the workshops that might be found in a Mediæval castle: blacksmith shop, armoury, carpenter shop, leatherworking shop, and so forth. There would be some open areas for training and practice of historical martial arts, a number of classroom-type areas, and a chapel.

The facility would be close enough to the lake or river to give access to a waterfront with a swimming area and facilities for rowboats, canoes, and sailboats.

Near the structure would be an area for tent camping, with water risers available. This contributes to the secondary role of the facility as a site for SCA and similar historically-based events. The water sources would be concealed in small structures that look like wells. There would be one or more “bathhouses” with flush toilets, sinks, and showers – if more than one, placed so that everyone would have fairly easy access to them. Depending on the size of an event, porta-johns might still be needed to supplement the sanitary facilities.

Outdoor activities would include SCA-style “heavy” youth combat, historical dueling (fencing), archery, court tennis (also called “real” tennis*), historical badminton (played with wooden paddles and a heavy shuttlecock), and historical riding, including training in jousting (using targets and quintains). Historical camping skills such as building and tending fires, cooking with fire, and the like.

Indoor activities would be largely in the “arts-and-crafts” area, and many of them would straddle the modern/historical line, such as woodworking, leatherworking, pottery, and painting. Some crafts, like armouring and blacksmithing, would be mostly demonstration activities, to familiarize the campers with the work, though the older ones would be able to do some hands on activity. Calligraphy, illumination, embroidery, vocal and instrumental music, historical dancing, and various other forms of needlecraft would also be included..

Classroom instruction would include subjects such as formal courtesy, heraldry, traditions of the tournament, history and development of armour, clothing, and architecture.

The campers would wear historically-based clothing for much of the time: Tunics and long or short leggings for the boys, longer dresses for the girls. For activities for which such garb is not suitable, modern clothing would be worn, and changing areas would be available in those areas, Meals would be served family style, with the campers instructed in and expected to use historically-based table manners (though with allowances for modern sensibilities). After dinner on some nights, there would be time set aside for dancing (might even be mandatory). Meals would also be used as a means of teaching some Mediaeval-based practices, such as serving at table, pouring drinks (don’t worry, it would be iced tea or ‘bug juice’), carving, and the like. The campers would take turns at these tasks, including the more formal serving at the “high table,” in this case the table for senior staff and instructors. Campers would be required to use historical forms of address and courtesy.

The daily routine would be based on our best understanding of life in a castle. A bell would signal the beginning and end of activity sessions, meals, and chapel services. In keeping with the tradition of the time, there would be chapel services daily. Attendance would be mandatory, though active participation would not. Those whose faith traditions are not Christian should consider it part of the cultural experience. Campers would have one or two “better” sets of garb to wear to dinner and for court. Some sort of ceremonial court would be held several times during each session, to confer awards and to give the campers practice in court etiquette.

In all, the experience would be as close to cultural immersion as one could get, without losing the conveniences of running water and electricity. And that’s my Blue Sky dream.

* “Real” doesn’t imply that lawn tennis is ersatz. It’s a French term meaning royal.