Here Comes My Brain Dump.

I have a rudimentary instrumental version of "Amazing Grace" running over and over in my head. Why? Because I am relieving my time as a 7-year-old learning an instrument from near scratch (not totally from scratch since I've got the piano experience). I've had this guitar, a decent Fender, for some time now - nearly 3 years. I had decided back then that I wanted to teach myself. As happens to many, that endeavor fell by the way-side. Not to mention, when your 5-feet-tall and petite, a full-size acoustic guitar isn't the easiest thing to play. I would literally get shoulder cramps after about 20 minutes, and my fingers could barely reach all the strings to get the C chord done right. Early last week, my manager, who found out that two of us on the team play guitar (well, the other guy *has* to be more advanced than me - I don't really "play" at this point. I just make noise.), brought in his Baby Taylor guitar. It is 3/4 the size of a regular acoustic guitar. I had read about this guitar a month or so after I got my Fender and knew it was probably a better fit for me but figured I'd tough it out with my full-size beast. Seeing it in person convinced me that I would have a heck of an easier time learning on it. They run $299, new. Usually, people sell them used on craiglist for $200-250. Yesterday I found a listing for $199 at a pawn shop (first time I ever visited a pawn shop - it was only a little bit seedy - I wasn't by myself either, so). All this not-spending on extraneous things has apparently triggered some impulsive spending. After some minor haggling, I got it for $175 plus tax. Put on some new strings for $6 and it's all set! I have now played the shit out of "Amazing Grace". Still doesn't sound polished - I'm trying to get the chord transitions down cleaner and quicker. But I must have played it the song like 100 times. Not exaggerating. The little thing is so easy to play! It's like night and day. It doesn't have as big and deep a sound as my full-size, but it still sounds nice for the size that it is. Now I just have to sell my Fender. I considered keeping it but then again, if I ever get really "good" at playing perhaps I'd rather have a better full-size guitar than the Fender anyway. I suggested The Husband take a community college class with me, he could use the full-size, I'd have the little-person Taylor, but he said he doesn't have the patience to learn an instrument at this point in his life. I figured with unemployed free-time it would be the as good a time as any to attempt to learn an instrument, but, hey, not all of us are into this kidn of "torture".

As for the hair situation, she nor the salon scheduler ever called me to reschedule. I could call them but I am thinking I am just going to either find someone close to work or someone close to home. This place was in between work and home and I just don't have the patience to deal with the traffic situation and having to leave 45-60 minutes early to get to a hair appointment (it doesn't seem like she is much of an evening appointment person). And while I screwed up by getting there late (dude, though, how often to you WAIT at a salon? All the time! I was 15 minutes late - hardly that bad), you would think that after I showed up that I had good intentions and deserved a return phone call. So I think I am giving up on them. Yelp's reviews of the place were decent, but not glowing or anything.

And one last thing that is knocking around in my head. The whole flushing-the-toilet-with-your-foot-deal. My aunt taught me this in a very public restroom when I was a kid, and I mean, I would only do it when the place is particularly grody. But at work? Sure a work toilet is sort of public, but still. I saw a stall neighbor do it as I was sitting there doing my business and now I will HAVE to use some tissue with my hands or use my foot to flush because who knows what stuff was on that person's foot that is now all over the toilet handles? I think that is overboard, foot-flushing work toilets.