Unutterably Silly So what are you doing RIGHT NOW?

[Deskisamess]

Hair? I'm growing out my grey. My grey started when I was 26, I've been coloring my hair since I was 32, I'm now 61. I worked as a receptionist at a salon from 2001-2007, so had good permanent color & highlights for just cost during that time.

Kept going after I stopped working there, and have continued with one of the girls after she left that salon. I wear my hair short so get it cut every 4 weeks. When the lockdown started, I had just had my color & highlights done, so it's been 4 months since I had color. The back and sides are grown out, the top and bangs are longer, and another 6 weeks from having the color totally cut off.

My grey is very white, and about 95%. I'd been wanting to stop coloring for some time. This was a good time to do it.

As to what I'm doing right now, just finished updating Quicken, working on a grocery list for a weekend celebration for one of my daughters-in-law. She was promoted to Chef de Cuisine at a local fine dining restaurant. 3 years from hire.

[Rumpelteazer]

I know that it's hard to get rid of hair dye, even semi-permanent. But I've found that Lush's Jumping Juniper shampoo, with lemon and lime oil, is very good at it.

My hair isn't as red as I hoped it would be, except for my grey (white) hairs, those really pop, which I like. I'm most greying above my ears at the moment and I like the bright red. It is a nice colour, but it took nearly an hour to rinse it out. And the sink in the utility room (I use since it's next to my rooms and it isn't too much of a problem if there are dye stains) was either put in for a small person or they didn't have enough pipe to put it at normal height. It never was much of a problem, but I'm getting old and my lower back and neck are killing me. At least my hair is shiny and soft now.

There are other semi-permanent, environmentally friendly dyes in similar colours. So I might try a different brand next time.

[Deskisamess]

The shampoo they make for swimmers hair is usually very harsh, and can do some stripping of color. Even something like Dawn can do that, lather it up and let it sit on the hair a few minutes before rinsing.

Obviously that isn't a good solution for damaged hair. I remember the stylists suggesting what they called Shampoo 5, which was a mix of Paul Mitchell Shampoo 2 and Shampoo 3, lathered up and allowed to sit on the hair 3-5 minutes, could be helpful if someone's color was a little too dark. Shampoo 3 is their clarifying shampoo, good for getting chlorine gunk out of hair.

Drug-store hair color never worked well for me. I have a lot of hair, and it is very resistant to color. I gave up trying to do my own color many years ago. My base color was almost black, so as I got older, more highlights became necessary to keep me from having a "shoe polish" look. Solid all one color hair isn't a great look for anyone.

Red hair is pretty much impossible to duplicate out of a bottle, unless the client is willing to pay a lot and have some lengthy processes. I played with reds and red highlights during my 40's, but once I hit a certain age, it wasn't a good look for me.

[badgoodDeb]

I have medium-dark brown hair, and have been using the semi-permanent Clairol "Natural Instincts" for nearly 24 years now. I let it sit for twice the recommended time, since I didn't *want* it to wash out; the re-dye time is now decided by the length of the roots that I put up with, usually 6 weeks. I also use a slightly reddish dye, so that the grey strands stand out like high-lights, and the overall color is richer than its normal.

During full lock-down, friends were bemoaning not being able to reach their colorist. My being too cheap to do anything but DIY box kits led to me looking like I was cheating and exiting my house!

[issybird]

Hah! Box dyes are so much better than they used to be. They no longer result in the monochrome look.

It was probably a couple of years ago that my youngest sister and I gave up on salon dye jobs and started to dye each other’s hair. We save a boatload of money and a not inconsiderable amount of time. As it happened, she decided to shelter in place with me this past spring instead of two states away where she lives. So we’re both rocking our usual hair color, but the length, oh, my! I’ve opted for Meghan Markle’s messy bun and I’m luckier than my sister, as I’ve no bangs to grow out. I admit a haircut would be nice, but I can get along. Salons are open, but in managing my risk, it’s not one I choose to take.

[cc_in_oh]

Originally Posted by badgoodDeb

I have medium-dark brown hair, and have been using the semi-permanent Clairol "Natural Instincts" for nearly 24 years now. I let it sit for twice the recommended time, since I didn't *want* it to wash out; the re-dye time is now decided by the length of the roots that I put up with, usually 6 weeks. I also use a slightly reddish dye, so that the grey strands stand out like high-lights, and the overall color is richer than its normal.

During full lock-down, friends were bemoaning not being able to reach their colorist. My being too cheap to do anything but DIY box kits led to me looking like I was cheating and exiting my house!

So are you going to update your profile picture?

[cromag]

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

Having finally admitted that I am too old to try to continue my daily walks in +90 F/+90% humidity levels, I have acquired a Stamina stationary magnetic flywheel exercise bicycle and have begun my daily rides on it. Very quiet and smooth pedaling.
Not as exciting as outdoor walks, but sure beats getting heat sick.

Getting old sucks.

Yeah, but it's still better than the alternative!

[Rumpelteazer]

This time I wasn't going for a natural look. Normally I do, over the past ten years I mostly dyed my hair a cooler brown, before that I went for warm browns. Although I've had some interesting home hair dye results most of them went well. I've had my hair dyed professionally a couple of times, but I'm too cheap and I'm not fond of spending half a day at the hairdresser's. I usually dye it a colour close to my own, since I can't be bothered to keep up and dye it regularly.

I had planned to get a hair cut just when the lockdown started. Although the salons are open again I will wait it out. Not only just to be safe, but also because I like my hair longer in summer, so I can put it in a pony tail or bun. When it's hot I get a sweaty head and with my hair tied up that doesn't show as much as when I have it loose.

Right now I'm getting ready for work. I only have to work until 2pm, after that I'm going to make brownies and read.

[Deskisamess]

I did get a little tired of the 1½ hour process for color & cut. Now the cut along is 30 minutes start to finish, and that includes a blow dry.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Rumpelteazer

This time I wasn't going for a natural look. Normally I do, over the past ten years I mostly dyed my hair a cooler brown, before that I went for warm browns. Although I've had some interesting home hair dye results most of them went well. I've had my hair dyed professionally a couple of times, but I'm too cheap and I'm not fond of spending half a day at the hairdresser's. I usually dye it a colour close to my own, since I can't be bothered to keep up and dye it regularly.

I have gold/blonde balayage on copper, and try as I might, I just can't do that at home, lol. So, yes, I have roots down to the tops of my ears right now! (Okay, not really, but long enough, fersure!)

Hitch

[badgoodDeb]

Originally Posted by cc_in_oh

So are you going to update your profile picture?

No, I like to feel like I'm actually Lucy Lawless/Xena when I'm on this board!

Originally Posted by Deskisamess

I did get a little tired of the 1½ hour process for color & cut. Now the cut along is 30 minutes start to finish, and that includes a blow dry.

Wow- I'd get tired of that too. Mine is 10 minutes (Great Clips; walk in type place) and I normally fight them off to stop blow drying. Mine naturally curls, and I don't like their blow-dried pouf version.

Since it take about 10 minutes, it felt relatively Coronavirus safe. (But I've only had it cut once since this all started.)

[cc_in_oh]

Originally Posted by badgoodDeb

No, I like to feel like I'm actually Lucy Lawless/Xena when I'm on this board!

My mistake - I assumed that was you at a cosplay meetup. Have you watched Lucy in My Life is Murder yet?

[badgoodDeb]

Originally Posted by cc_in_oh

My mistake - I assumed that was you at a cosplay meetup. Have you watched Lucy in My Life is Murder yet?

No, I hadn't heard about that one. I don't watch TV since about 2007. Hamilton was a singular exception!

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by cc_in_oh

My mistake - I assumed that was you at a cosplay meetup. Have you watched Lucy in My Life is Murder yet?

I tried it but I'm not big on that "murder lite humor" sort of thing.

Hitch

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by badgoodDeb

Wow- I'd get tired of that too. Mine is 10 minutes (Great Clips; walk in type place) and I normally fight them off to stop blow drying. Mine naturally curls, and I don't like their blow-dried pouf version.

Since it take about 10 minutes, it felt relatively Coronavirus safe. (But I've only had it cut once since this all started.)

NYC on lockdown was mostly an annoyance here. The SO and I are homebodies who don't go out all that often, so most places to go being shut wasn't a big deal. The supermarket (a Trader Joes) was open, as was the local Target for non-food purchases, as were the markets in Chinataown where my SO shops for Chinese ingredients like roast pork, the greenmarket where she gets seasonal produce, and the Chinese restaurant across the street where we get Chow Fun. (SO has a wheat allergy, so normal noodles are right out. Rice noodles are fine.) The Chinese place was mostly takeout and delivery before COVID-19 hit, so not badly affected.

The biggest issues were little things, like the self serve laundries being closed, so getting laundry done involved dropping of a bag at a place that did it for you and retrieving it when done, at about three times the cost of DIY.

The other big annoyance was no place to get a haircut. Fortunately, I didn't need to go anywere where being exceptionally shaggy would be an issue. When the barber I normally use reopened, I said "Drag out the hedge clippers and prune it back!" They did, and I am much happier. I was amused by folks complaining that their dog groomer worked from home, and they could drop the dog off, get it groomed, and pick it up later, but couldn't get their own hair cut. Er, say "Woof!" and pretend you're a dog?

Life is seeping back into NYC, fueled by alcohol. Alcohol was classed as an essential in New York State, so liquor stores have been open throughout. Various bar/restaurants around me with street facing windows have set up tables with bottles at the front, and you specify what you want and get served in a takeout container. People hang out on the street with their friends and drink.

Lockdown has relaxed to the point where you can't sit in a restaurant to dine, but can eat outside. So various places have had carpenters busy creating outdoor dining areas in the lane nearest the curb where cars would normally park, and are doing very well, thank you. This will change as winter comes in, but meanwhile... Technically, outdoor dining requires a city permit, but I understand applications for one are approved same day.

I await with amused interest for things to return to enough like normal that patrons can again drink in a bar. In Manhattan, at least, it's been demonstrated that people can drink outside responsibly. I see the city having lots of fun trying to reimpose bans on public drinking. I don't see that genie being stuffed back into the bottle.
______
Dennis