Have you ever had the experience wherein you looked back at an old photo or reflected on a memory and asked yourself, “What the heck was I thinking?” I have had that experience more times than I can count (and I can count beyond my fingers and toes unfortunately).

Recently, I had a hair color debacle which I wrote about in my blog (see http://www.areavoices.com/thenewforty/?blog=66298). I think folks thought I was exaggerating a bit so when I posted a photo from graduation I referenced the hair again (see http://www.areavoices.com/thenewforty/?blog=66659). But today, I offer stellar evidence of the debacle by way of the professional photography company that took photos at graduation. Oh yes, there can be no doubt having viewed these photos that my description of my hair color was dead-on. And remember, these photos were taken after a full week of fade and excessive hair washing designed to tone it down.

So, I am now in a position to reflect upon what I was thinking as I could have remedied this mess, but I chose not to. Instead I washed it at least twice a day for a week and examined it for luminosity every time I encountered a mirror and convinced myself that it was getting better. I wore brown all week as it didn’t compete with the orange and had the effect of neutralizing it a bit. Alas, there were a couple of things I did not really think about that I now realize – the black velvet gown that left only my head showing would draw the eye straight up to my face and hair and when coupled with the tam on top for contrast and the bright lights a perfect storm for accentuating my hair color would occur. Can’t quite envision it? Well, go to the photography site (http://www.jolesch.com/ctorder.aspx?id=608486&campaign=G1a&eventid=5522 ) and select my name from the list there at the end of the “C”s and you’ll have an imprint that will last forever (at least it will last forever in my mind’s eye).

What’s a girl to do at this point, but laugh and chalk it up to another one of those times where in retrospect I conclude that I should have perhaps made a different decision; but, that just would not be me now would it? I guess I should just thank my lucky stars that my robe was not stuck up in my pantyhose or that I managed to escape the restroom with no toilet paper on my heel. When it is all said and done, it’s only hair color and while it may not fade from memory, it will eventually fade from its current shocking shade – and if it doesn’t I’ll just pick a new color…maybe it is time to go blonde…somehow it seems fitting. 😉

Day one hundred and seventy-six of the new forty – obla di obla da

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