Hairdressers and things

When I recently did the math, I discovered that I have moved give or take eleven times. That means I have cleared through all my clutter, packed up, lived out of a suitcase for at least a week, unpacked, and settled in at least eleven times. Granted, I was a child during some of those moves, but still, I think I was an active participant during at least seven of those moves. And I think I can conclude that some things do get easier. I have become an expert at deciding whether something should stay or go, and can pack an entire living room in about half a morning. I have also become quite adept at staying in touch with people halfway across the world, and at easing myself into the new community. But some things never cease to be annoying, and these are probably the things you don't immediately think about when you're going to move.

Whenever I have been faced with a move, the first thing that crosses my mind (after I have pondered weeks of planning, boxes, and other major life changes of course) is "what about my hairdresser?"I know it seems silly, when you're faced with a move that will (at times) take you into another country, or across an ocean, to worry about your 'do, but let me tell you, after three bad haircuts that left you debating whether to just get a buzz cut at your husband's barber, it's a real issue.
And it's not just the hairdresser really. It's finding that new great handyman that won't laugh when you ask him to come unclog your tub for the fourth time that month. It's knowing the great car place where they won't charge you an arm and a leg for changing your oil.

So how do you cope? Well, at first you figure you can do this by yourself, so you open a phone book, and call the nearest hairdresser, plumber, or car dealership. Or you drive through town, until you see a place that looks alright. Sometimes you get lucky, and are satisfied right away. For instance, I am more than thrilled with my car dealership. They've given me more complimentary car washes than I've ever gotten anywhere else, and they're just plain nice. But other times, you are not that lucky. It has taken me almost six months and three hairdresser appointments to find a place that I think won't turn my hair into a throw-back to the 1980s, 1990s, or whichever bygone era tickles the hairdresser's fancy.
But after while I figured out that there was actually an entire whisper-campaign (for lack of a better word) among the newly transplanted people in my community; advice about doctors, nail salons, handymen, yard care, and yes, hairdressers. So thanks to my advice, one of my friends is not thrilled about her new hairdo, while I actually found a dry cleaner that I really liked thanks to that same buzz.

But now that I'm finally satisfied with my 'do, I've come to the conclusion that the concerns about a hairdresser or a plumber, or a car repairman aren't so much a sign of vanity or a desire to micromanage as they are a sign of wanting to find your own niche. Feeling at home means knowing where to go when you need something. It means liking the places you frequent, and when it comes to hairdressers, feeling comfortable enough, to once the "new" has gone out of "home" to try something "really new" (for a change ;) )