Unlike the rest of the world, I have Mondays off. In my awesome hairdresser land it is amazing because I get to spend Sunday with my two dudes and then Monday is like my Sunday in that it’s a down time for me to unwind and catch up while the rest of the world returns to the grind. Today was rough. I don’t know how you people do Monday every week. But okay, couple things. This may be my most random post ever, but stick with me. As I’m finding, I start out with one thought and by the end, I’m so far out in left field I forgot what inning it is. I promise, you’ll relate to this though. 

My high school memories included playing donkey kong, popcorn and the always relevant after-school special, talking on the phone, ramen noodles at Tshepo’s house, followed by a bike ride to the park. Hide and seek, AOL, and late night swimming. Girlfriend sleepovers, packed like sardines in a bedroom and never actually sleeping, more talking on the phone and shopping at weathervane. Then as freshmen year rolled by and I became a seasoned sophomore, it was football games on Friday nights, pit parties in the woods, junior prom… more sleep overs, and a red see through pager (143/911). Junior year kind of blurry-ish? Because: fake ID game: strong. Right of passage type stuff. Dating an older boy, going to Myrtle Beach and Alive@5. Senior year was the year of all years because we were undefeated powder puff champions (wild hunnies unite!) upgraded to AIM and Abercrombie, flat irons, Cancun for spring break (yes a third world country, utterly unsupervised at 18. Thank you Jesus for keeping me alive and rest in peace Natalie Holloway.) my first frat party at SAE in TROY at the tender age of 17. So yeah, I was awesome. But I remember one thing, I had an awkward stage. 

Of course I had that no fear, invincibleness, world by the balls type attitude. The chunky blonde highlights (head games holler) perfectly mixed cd playing in my jeep Cherokee, and my lifetime favorite bonne belle lip gloss in cappuccino forever across my lips. But holy hell did I have an awkward stage. You know that gray area when you’re wildly unaware of your own style? when I bought canvas vans sneakers in a really feminine shade of brown. And wide leg carpenter jeans (jencos whatwhat and the loop hole was so useful). And some scary long sleeved eyelit shirt with an “undershirt” sewed inside in a terrifying contrasting color, complete with a wrought iron fence looking “choker” around my neck. Oh. Yeah. And my hair was gelled back into a perfect pony tail that rivaled that of a greaser from The Outsiders. My God I was soooo fetch! 

But I wasn’t. Because hi. Have you seen what girls wear/look like/act like/talk like now? And how they never went through that right of passage ugly stage? I mean they caught every green light in their drive through awkward town. Young girls these days are shopping at PINK and Nordstrom (or some reeeeally lucky finds at Marshall’s). They have perfected the messy bun, and they nail hair in general with their long golden sun-kissed locks every time. They can pull off comfy caj (soft j) kardashian-glam, or boho-chic-beach-goddess litch-ruh-lee with the removal or adding on of a flower crown. And don’t even get me started on pedicures and manicures. I remember when I was young, thinking (French) pedicures were suuuuuch a luxury, now? Part of #lyyyfe. (I remember the days I prayed to make it big and making it big meant one pedicure a month. Life goal: accomplished!)

I’m jealous. But I gotta tell ya, good for them! Good for you girls for getting it right and never having a less than proud moment where scrunchies, umbros and platform flip flops were a main staple. Also, I still can’t perfect a messy bun and I’m a fucking hairdresser!!! #embarrassing 😂

My message is this. I know there are people of all ages that feel like they’re going through an awkward time. I know there are people who feel like their entire life has been a stage of wondering and unknowing. I understand it because I’ve been there, and I’m sure I’ll wander down an avenue in awkward town again on this journey of mine. The good looks and expensive shit fades though. Be someone who can last through the fads. Have a heart that can love. Use your hands to help. 

Talk to make progress, not to just make conversation. 

In every stage of life we will always have a few choices, and if a couple bad choices lead us somewhere ultimately great than whose to say there was anything awkward about it at all… 

A moment of bad is just as fleeting as a moment of good. 

Let go of the tangible and hold onto something money can’t buy. Don’t worry if your hair isn’t quite the perfect shade of chocolate, or your body isn’t the hourglass we all wish it would be, if your house isn’t immaculate, if your child isn’t on a set routine. If you opted for the left over red white and blue frosted cookies from LDW2015 for breakfast this morning when you swore it was the day you were returning to your diet? Fuhgetaboutit. You’re doing great. And it was just an awkward choice not an awkward lyfe.