THE HAPPY LIST.

hello bloggies,
(that's my new endearing term for all my readers. isn't is precious?)
i just wanted to share the things this week that have made their way onto my happy list for the week.
maybe this will start a new weekend tradition. probably not.

yes, some of these reasons are very materialistic, but there is nothing wrong with a little joy that comes with a new pair of shoes. haters.

HAPPY LIST, APRIL 28TH:

1. sweet notes from clients that call just minutes after they leave your chair. so gratifying.

2. shopping afternoons alone, and sam edelman shoes that are on sale.

3. Mal's random ghetto outbursts in the car. "WELL, AIN'TCHOOSUMTHIN?" 

4. venti starbucks coffees in the morning.

5. lazy saturday nights with jake watching cartoons.

6. the prospect of new hair challenges with pastels and mal's curly fro.

7. a perfectly organized, color coordinated closet.

8. new music from justin timberlake.

9. quilts. the old lumpy perfect ones.

10. the most unexpected yet amazingly perfect phone call from a friend off at an army base. miss you      brocky. 

that's been my week, kiddos.
with love, and the excitement of finally being able to see this guy^ this weekend.
-lys.

18 years wiser.

there is no greater feeling in the world than being recognized for your talents.

i realize how conceited that sounds, but let me explain.

i had a client in my chair on wednesday who asked me if i enjoyed doing hair. of course, i said yes. and then she said *so incredibly sincerely, might i add*, "i know you do, i can see it in your eyes." now, i could take this to an uber conceited place and exclaim I AM OOZING WITH TALENT. I AM A SUPERSTAR. but that isn't the truth. i just mean that it is so incredibly and overwhelmingly gratifying when new clients that you have just met, strangers really, are telling you that they can see how passionate you are about your craft. that they can sense it, even in the first ten minutes of meeting you. it's quite possibly the best feeling.

and now let me relate this to the me of only a year ago, trying to figure out if i wanted to pursue what i wanted to do, or if i wanted to pursue what everyone was telling me i should be doing. i didn't want to go to college. i loved hair, i wanted to do hair. and everyone was telling me (family, friends, teachers) that i needed to go to college in order to be anything more than a worthless good for nothing loser living in my parents basement for the rest of my life. *a bit of an exaggeration* well. i fought with the college idea for months. i went back and forth for months, yes i'd go, no i don't want to. and then i eventually realized that I DON'T LIKE SCHOOL AND I AM NOT GOING TO COLLEGE. and that was final. the salon receptionist job had opened my eyes to a world i was more than interested in, and that was what i was doing.

i was so easily intimidated by people. and that is what i have discovered about myself during the six months i've been at hair school. i've never been terribly outspoken. yes, i'm opinionated, but not very vocal about it to those who i'm not close to. but hair school has started to change that. i have found my talent, i am more than thrilled to keep learning and exploring and even make some learning mistakes. but i have stopped letting other people's opinion shape my ideas. if you have a talent, do something with it. yes, criticism is good. even bad criticism. but don't just accept one or the other. you know when you mess up, and you know when you rock something out.

i realize this is sounding like a "find your own destiny" hippie style plea, but i promise it isn't. it's more of the do what you love, love what you do style plea.

decide what to be, and go be it. -avett brothers.
that's my latest mantra. you're welcome.

this is what i have been up to lately in the hair world. 

so there you have it kids. 

get out there and just do it. 

with love, and a soapbox to stand on.

-lys

BREAKING NEWS, and granola people.

it's not you. it's me. i just didn't have time to put into this relationship for awhile. i had to focus on me, okay? it wasn't anything you did. no, don't cry, google blogger. there there.

new things are happening here. and i am very excited about them.
after a two hour blogging bootcamp, mallory has rescued me from the stone age and i am now a blogger from the 21st century. i even have a flickr account. *i know, i know*

did you notice my new header? isn't she pretty?

basically life got in the way like it always does and i am lazy. but i will try to keep this going this time.

this has been my life:
school
work
school
hair at home
sleep
food
school
work

but this past week was spring break which brought a much needed break from reality.
mom and myself went to asheville for a three day getaway, a spa day, and frolicking downtown, which was filled with weird granola people. (you know, earthy tree hugging, dreadlocking, shower opposed granola people.)

extra crunchy granola people.
granola men who tell your mother "oh my gosh you're adorable" while they are carrying an unidentifiable large bag, which could easily fit your mother's and your lifeless bodies as creepy granola man takes you back to his granola hut and then buries you in his illegal plant garden.

this is not to say men are not allowed to hand out compliments, but they most certainly are not allowed to dole out compliments like that while you are trying to locate your car that is parked on a street which you can't remember after the sun has already set and you are already questioning the street musicians that are prowling on the sidewalks.

i think my new rule of thumb is as followed:

     if he's carrying a bag that he could stuff you into and
     tries to talk to you, pull the pepper spray out of your cross body bag.
     immediately.

i could write paragraphs on how stupid i think it is that men think they have this right to say these sorts of things to us, but then i would seem sexist (probably only partially true) and people would be angry. basically, men need to back off. stop the yelling, stop the whistling. take your body bags and get off the streets.

in other other news: remember that tattoo post i said i would hopefully have in a few months. well. i did it. i got my first one. and i am in love with it and planning the next seven that i want.
its true. they're addicting.

so, i suppose that's all i've got for today. 

expect more hair posts, outfits of the day, my views on life, and so on.

with love, and new ink.

-lys

up and coming new year.

current issues:
-this one is a more personal note.
-i know that doesn't seem possible, since this blog is already about my life. but you'll see.

here is a run-down of the last year, plus advice, life lessons, and it's all mixed with humor.

senior year started. 
which was overwhelming and horrible and everything awful in the world combined.
i let stress get the best of me and dreaded going every day.

but then you kind of learn to let go a little, have your friends over, and study while you eat loads of food and goof off and talk in russian accents.
those nights with katie, david, mal, and brock (even though he wasn't in school) were some of the best. lots of laughs. lots of stupidity. but lots of really good memories. i also had a really difficult time coping with the idea of my friends moving even just a little ways away. there were a few tears shed, but now, i feel like everyone is where they need to be.

WHY DID I STRESS THE HECK OUT ABOUT GOING TO COLLEGE.
i had this weird mental tick where i felt like i had had had to go to college. i didn't want to do more school, and i felt like i was trying to find a major that i could tolerate because people (school, teachers, even friends and family) made me feel like cosmetology school was a fallback. i had toyed with the idea of going to cosmetology for awhile, but kept going back and forth about it. i thought about scad, then finally realized i wasn't going to let people talk me out of what i really wanted to do. if you have a passion that you can turn into a career, do it. don't let people talk down what you love. i love hair. i love everything about it. so take that. i feel like that's one of my mantras......

                                                        do what you love, love what you do. 

sadie hawkins dance.
was the bomb.com. the most fun dance i've ever gone to. (seriously.)

the christmas party.
was a total bust. do not plan christmas parties for your friends who are clearly not as sophisticated or as appreciative of nice things as you are. it's not worth the time. try easy mac and a board game next time. do not waste turkey burgers on the picky. 

new year's slumber party.
fun fact: blanket forts are fun at every age. so is sparkling grape juice. 

i hate pictures of myself.
this really only relates to senior pictures. which are awful. i hate posing, i can't fake smile for more than .34 seconds, or it really looks like a fake smile. and i only like my face at weird, very particular angles. senior pictures aren't worth it. 

do not pierce your ears at home. 
they will get infected and it's not a smart idea. also, pain. 

dinner and shopping in atlanta can cure all things.
get your butt in the car, get your best friend. drive yourself to perimeter. and spend money. a little retail therapy goes quite a long way. i can't even tell you how many times we would call each other and say "i feel like spending money, go shopping with me." the answer is always yes.

that a&p test isn't going to study itself. turn off netflix. 
i was an addict. to my netflix account. my brain shut off when i was watching shows and then would kickstart again around one am when i realized that government homework was finished and i had four chapters to read for english. also, i had to wake up in five hours and mornings magically make me a raging monster. get your homework done, kiddo. 

if you want to wear lipstick, do it. 
i don't care if the bright red stain you want to wear clashes with your plaid skirt. do it anyways. thats you. you clash. wear what you want. 

new york city with friends is always a good idea. 

relationships after high school go so much better. 

graduation, the last day of school, and the day your best friend moves into her dorm and you can't be with her because you got your wisdom teeth out are very emotional days. 
the last day of school, i think i cried 15 times. i wasn't prepared for how emotional it would be. (heres another fun fact: after you graduate, you don't miss high school at all. and you remember how annoying you thought people were. or maybe that's just me. i have a very low tolerance level. oh well.) you remember all the good on the last day, like senior trip and the day you skipped class to get food and got caught by mrs. bennett and then had to clean tables for stupid character building. which doesn't build character at all. 

and graduation was like that, but without the crying. graduation parties are kind of like christmas parties. not worth the effort. skip it. just send out the stupid announcements. 

perhaps though, the best memory was senior prank. 
the fake newsletter and letting the people have what they want: a jean day.
which turned into a corruption of power, an overthrowing of evil dictators, and a new world order for the heritage community. (and maybe another clause added to the code of conduct.) 

so there is it. the past year all wrapped up. 

with love, and always helpful advice.
-lys. 

School lets us play dressup.

current issues:
-yes, i realize halloween was FOREVER ago. and it's december. but consider this a flashback. and trust me. you don't want to miss these pictures. they're hilarious.
-i love my school. they let us dress up for halloween. and EVERYONE got into it.

i went as audrey hepburn (DUH).
it was interesting. the costumes were awesome.

so fun. so freaking fun.

with love, and a little halloween spirit.

-lys.

Cold weather makes for fun date afternoons.

current issues:
-i'm continuously amazed at jake for voicing fun ideas for random dates.

this time it was an afternoon in helen. candy stores. crazy people. and cute coffee shops.

yay. everyone loves cheesin couple pictures. i know i do.

with love, and ginger creme lattes. 

-lys.

hair school.

current issues:
-i love my school friends. they never cease to make me laugh.
-they're also pretty BA at throwing on some hair color.

hales and shelbs. you guys are the coolest.

and the dorkiest. 

 with love and fun times with new friends,

-lys.