I created this blog to keep the people I love up to date on my life. I will try to update it weekly! If that doesn't happen remember that I am busy and will do the best I can!

Thursday, January 29, 2009

I has a story for yous

So, today was Thursday. The last day of the week where I have 13 hours of school. (which isn't as bad as it sounds, being there that long. Because as much as I may complain about school I really do love hair)

So, at around 1:30 I got a male haircut. His name was scott and he didn't talk the entire time. (I'm a shy person, and don't mind the silence. so if there is going to be conversation they have to start it. I'll talk as much as they want as long as they initiate the conversation)
He told me how he wanted his hair, answered questions about how I was cutting it but other than that there was no comunication between the two of us. He kind of stared off into space the whole time. While I was shampooing him and giving him his head massage he closed his eyes and looked like he was in nirvana. Odd person. Tipped me $2

Then, at night school around 5:30 I got a female cut. Girl of about 12, asian-type hair, down the the middle of her back.
When she left it was to her chin, you could see her neck. He mom came and told me what to do. I was a little bit hesitant to cut off so much because losing that much length can be a traumatic experience which is either very good or very very bad. I did a combination cut (square grad with triangle and square layers) which means nothing to you, but it was a cute short bob. Because her hair is so thick I spend about half an hour just thinning it out.
We also didn't talk. It was a little bit awkward because her mom was sitting there watching the whole time, not in an intimidating don't-mess-up-my-daughters-hair type of way, but more of a motherly kind way... but it made it awkward so I didn't start a conversation (I don't mind starting conversations with people younger than me, because I am automatically cooler than them because I'm older and therefore don't care if they judge me) Tipped me $3

THEN. I cleaned up and saw that my favorite Cam friend was still working on the perm he had started at 1:00 that afternoon. By this time it was around 8:45pm. Cam is a perfectionist and does everything very slow. The things he does are amazing, he just needs to work on his speed (though, he has missed a lot of school for one reason or another so I have about three months experience on him.)
I asked him if he wanted help (I personally don't like getting help when I'm doing things like highlights or perms because I'm OCD and want to make sure that it is all done the same way, and I find that when I do things by my self I feel better about them, and if they ever don't turn out it is my fault and my fault alone. I can't help blaming "helpers" when they do help, or judging the way they do it. It may sound ubber prideful but I find that I'm naturally better at many things than most people, but when I dont' know I will ask for help)
Cam was very happy to have some help he trusted. There had been various different hands rolling rods thoughtful the day, some were helpful some actually slowed the process. I decided that 6 hours was too long to spend rolling a perm so I helped Cam roll. (I went quicker than him, and speed up the process significantly) I helped him fix his tension and elevation (technical terms for how well and tightly the rods are wrapped) I helped apply the perm solution, reminded him of all the steps and timing. We wrapped, processed, finished and styled that perm by the time 11:00 rolled around (night school gets out at 10 so we were there an extra hour, but I didn't care because hey, an hour closer to graduation, and I would do anything to help my Cam friend)
If you ever need a confidence boost, Cam is the perfect person for the job. He makes me feel loved, wanted, needed and appreciated.


Today made me realize not only that I like, no love doing hair and that I could be happy doing it for the rest of my life (especially if I get paid for doing it) But I'm good at it. I know what I'm doing.
In class we went over a lot of things that I thought everyone knew, but when we reached the end of class the "what did you learn today" section everyone had lots of things to say. It wasn't a bad class, but I knew everything that was touched upon.
I understand the physics and workings of cutting/styling/perming hair.
I am good at what I do.
I am fast and effective.
My guests always leave happy with their service and end result.
After over 12 months of school I have learned a lot.

I am a hairdresser, and I'm proud to be such.

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Another Installment of Aubrey



I don't much feel like blogging today, but in keeping with the weekly-blog goal I'll just put 25 random facts about me!


1. I hate the rain if its cold, dirty or too heavy

2. If it isn't Christmas time, I hate the snow

3. Hail storms are some of the most exciting times of my life

4. I love Disney Movies, especially Mulan and Hercules and Beauty & The Beast and Snow White and Sleeping Beauty.

5. All my best friends live in my computer

6. My favorite color is bright pink

7. I am obsessed with Broadway and musicals. 90% of the music on my computer is show tunes

8. I cannot spell to save my life, the only reason you can read ANY of this is because my internet browser has a built in spell check

9. I enjoy writing letters almost as much as receiving them (*hint* *hint*)

10. My main means of communication is text (for those living near by) or facebook (for all others)

11. In my memory I have only ever lived in two town, two houses. Both blue

12. I don't like sheets. I sleep under blankets on top of blankets

13. I never wear anything on my feet if I can help it

14. My favorite utensil is a spoon.

15. Though I can cook almost anything my favorite and most common delight is cookies

16. I once sat in my room and counted to 9,999 just to see if I could do it

17. I love being on stage more than almost anything else

18. I am not comfortable with the person I am (hence my love of being on stage, being someone else)

19. I have had clinical depression since 4th grade and have been on every medication thinkable for it

20. I don't sing or dance in the shower, that is weird

21. My favorite person in the entire, whole wide world is my (step)Dad.

22. My favorite books are children books (especially Dr. Seuss who is my favorite Author)

23. My favorite forms of creative output are: Cutting hair, Coloring hair, Make-up, Acting, Singing, Scrap booking, Making up recipes, sewing (though I am not yet good at this particular skill)

24. My favorite musicals are (in not particular order): Sweeney Todd, The Fantasticks, Les Miserables, The Last 5 Years, Spring Awakenings, Rent

25. Other musicals I enjoy immensely are: 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Suessical the Musical, Miss Sigon, The Flower Drum Song, Oliver!, Singing In The Rain, Guys & Dolls, Fiddler On The Roof, I Love You You're Perfect Now Change, Into The Woods, Chicago, Jekyll & Hyde, Little Shop of Horrors, Rent, Wicked, Candide, Footloose, Kiss Me Kate, Moulin Rouge, Nightmare Before Christmas

Maybe some extra while I wait for my episode of Heroes to load!

26. I don't like most food. Nothing w/ sauce (unless it's dessert or BBQ) Nothing w/ tomatoes. I don't like spicy things.

26. There are over a thousand types of apples (yes, 1000+) None of this red, green and yellow crap.
My favorite types are: Gala, Fuji (though there are many types of Fuji,) Belmont, Bismark, Burgandy, Cameo, delicious (just not the red ones) Red Jonathan, empire, McIntosh, ginger gold, granny smith, honeygold, johagold, jonathan, jonalicious, kent, pacific beauty, pink lady, braeburn, honey crisp, pacific rose, ambrosia, rome

27. I am a little OCD about a few things.... I cannot sleep at night if I know that my crayons are out of order... (I have a box of 120 and each color has it's own box in rainbow order, the red/orange box in next to the yellow/green/green-blue box)
I cannot use the bathroom unless the shower curtain is pushed to the side w/ the faucet (showers with doors must be closed.)
When moping or sweeping a floor with a tile pattern I have to follow that pattern, up this row down the next
When I'm looking at wood paneled walls I like to figure out which panels are the same size.
When I make cookies (which I do often) I count how many times I stir, not that I ever stir a certain amount, I stir until it's mixed to my satisfaction but I still count.

28. Whenever I eat an apple w/ a sticker I put the sticker either on my shirt like a name tag or on my forehead.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Another day, Another destiney










(Just F.Y.I. my the titles of my blogs hardly ever have anything to do with the actual post....)

Another day with clients. It's Saturday January 17th and I'm in Phase 2 Today.
My appointments were: 11:00 Haircut, 12:30 lunch, 1:00 cut and weave.

11:00: I cannot remember her name... so We will call her Sara. Hair down to her shoulder blades. She sits down and I ask her what she wants. She says just the split ends, maybe an inch. (I love this situation, people say split ends, then take off a millimeter when they have slit ends up about a foot) I told her that to really get all her split ends we would have to take of at least two. I showed her what two inches would look like and she said, alright.
She had some layers and I asked if she liked the way they were. She said maybe a little more layers. But she had to be able to put it in a pony tail.
Once we were in agreement and understanding of what she wanted I washed her hair and brought her back to the chair.
I found out that she is from Colorado and came to Provo to go to school. She just graduated from BYU with a degree in Home and Family Life. She wasn't sure what she was going to do with that and for awhile she was working as a receptionist somewhere in Orem.
(This was funny to me because I was just dissuading with Wesley the LL that there were a lot of people who went to college and were thousands of dollars in debt and came out with a degree they could do nothing with. Where as people who went into a trade, mechanic, technician, chef, cosmetologist had an instant guaranteed job where ever they went, something they could use)
Well, Sara asked my opinion a lot on what we were going. I don't really like this question because it all depends on what they like/want if I think it will be cute and they don't like it then they don't like it. If I think it would be cool, but they never blow dry it in a way that will achieve the results I want then it doesn't work. So we talked alot about what I was going to do.
We cut off about two inches, I added some more layers and blow dried it.
Then we moved onto the fringe (or "bangs") which we always cut dry. I asked if she wanted more fringe. I talked her into some cute side swoop fringe that would make her amazingly green eyes and beautiful cheek bones stand out.
This fringe wouldn't go back in a pony tale but looked cute when they fell out and across her ear. Then, we disscused her hair some more, she asked if all the split ends were gone. I told her that many of them were gone, but because of the shampoo she used, the way she blow dried and flat ironed her hair and because the air in Utah is so dry that her hair was dry and brittle and there was breakage all the way up.
She said that she once had short hair, up to her chin, she really liked it, but she also liked it long. She asked if I thought she should cut more off, go shorter. I again said that it depened on what she wanted, what she liked. And when cutting more than five inches off your hair you had to be sure about it. It either has to be a completely spur of the moment thing, or something you are completely sure you wanted. Not a wish-washy maybe I should maybe I shouldn't kind of thing.
She decided to take off three more inches. This would leave her hair a bit past shoulder length, still able to pull it back into a pony tail, but it would be a nice change. We talked about shape and layers and fringe and how it would accentuate her features.
I made sure she was sure. It was dry now but it was also 12:30 and I didn't want it to run into my other appointment. (I didn't care about missing lunch, but making my next guest wait would not be good) I cut it dry, before I cut the first bit I asked her once again if she was sure because once I cut I couldn't glue it back on. She looked a bit apprehensive but determined. She asked if she could still pull it back, if I thought it would look cute. i assured her yes to both questions. And she told me to go ahead.
I measured and snipped. (I am not the type of person to take the hair I just cut and show it to them, it just freaks them out and makes them nervous. Cutting the hair of someone who is nervous about what you are doing is not my idea of fun) I cut it all around and asked how she felt. She felt the length and said "Wow, it's short" she said this as an expression of fact, not a horrible realization. I added some more layers, blended the fringe and asked her how she liked it.
She looked really happy, said it felt a lot healthier.
I gave her my card and told her that if she decided in a day or two that she wanted to go shorter that she should request me. She gave this some thought and said that she just might come back. I sold her some product, and bit her farewell.
It was now 12:40 I had twenty minutes for lunch. I ran over to the gas station and used some of the $7 tip she gave me to buy a muffin and some hot chocolate (the gas station across the street from PMtS has the BEST hot chocolate you have ever tasted!!)

A day in the life of...

So, I heard the other day that there is a new best selling book in the UK, it was written by a bagger at a small grocery store. The book contains tales of the interesting people she meet while bagging their groceries and her reflections on them.

I think that I need to write such a book, because I have a lot of interesting people who sit in my chair.
For example:


Friday, January 16th

It was a normal day, color class in the morning. It was a good class, we looked through magazines and made cologes of different blondes, reds and brunets to help understand what our color clients want in their hair color.
Then I went to lunch and started making a donation jar for an even later that night. A girl comes into the lunch room holding a service ticket. "176!" she yells out. I get the ticket, a haircut.
The name on the ticket looked either like Jenny, Henny or Henry.
I grabbed all my stuff, set up my station and went to the front to meet Jenny/Henny/Henry.

Henry, a cute high senior, 17 (but almost 18 he stressed.) He sat down in my chair and when I asked him what he wanted he said simply, "I want a faux hawk." We discussed the different types of faux hawks, angle and length and texture and dramatic-ness and direction. Once we were in understanding of what he wanted I took him back to the sinks to wash his hair.
Usually during the wash I don't talk, it's a relaxing massage so I don't start conversations. But he was pretty chatty. He asked a lot of questions about me, my school, my life.
We went back the the chair and I started the cut. I tried to steer the conversation back on him, because really everyone likes talking about themselves more than listening to other people talk about themselves.
I found out that he is in high school, will attend BYU in the fall and wants to be a cardiac physician. He is an only child, a recent convert to the church and hasn't lived in Provo very long.
He asked where I was from, how many sibling I had, when I would be done with school, where I would go and what I would do when I graduated.
Then, in natural rhythm of the conversation he asked if I had a boyfriend. I was a little bit cautious with this question because I didn't know if he was just making conversation, or coming on to me, or taking it some where. I told him that I didn't, boys were silly and I wasn't interested, besides in doing hair and theatre you don't get many straight guy opportunities. He laughed at this. Then there was a beat or two of silence, I got the hint thinking "Right, it's my turn to ask the question..."
"So, do you have a girlfriend?" I proceeded cautiously.
This was just the right question.
He said, "I think so, but I'm not quite sure"
"Ah, one of those type things, I know how that goes."
"See, she asked me the other day if I had heard of the bon fire in the canyon and that we should go. We decided on 5:30. But she never called, so I called her twice but never got a hold of her. I didn't leave a message. I really like her, and her friend told me that she likes me, and it's her best friend so she would know... but I don't know if she was telling the truth or what?"
"Well, telling your friends crush that you like them with out permission is against the girl code"
He looked a little bit worried that there was a code he hadn't hear of.
"Well, I guess I really like her, but I don't know if I should call her back or not... she hasn't called me since."
I asked "When did you plan this? When was the bonfire? When did you call her"
"Planned on Monday. Bonfire was Wednesday... I called her Wednesday"
"Did you ask her about it at school?"
"No, I didn't know what to say... and I don't see her that often."

I explained to him that girls are dumb (Not that guys aren't dumb) but girls are dumb. Especially in high school, no one knows what they want. I told him that if he didn't know what she was thinking there was a good chance that she didn't even know, but she couldn't let on that she is confused so she would blame him for not understanding. Girls are confusing, even to themselves.
I didn't know if he was just venting or if he really wanted advice so I moved the subject a little bit by expressing my happiness of being out of high school and the silly things that go on there. He agreed and said that he was getting tired of it to, but he only had a few months left.
Then there was another few beats of silence. He then said "So....What do you think I should do? Should I call her again, leave a message? I mean, I think she likes me, and I like her but I don't know..."
"This is last weekend right? And you called her a few days ago?"
"Yea..."
"I think, that you should wait until Monday and see her at school, don't ask her about why she didn't call you but ask if she ending up going, if she had a good time. Gage her reaction, see if she acts normal around you. And go from there. You don't want to sound desperate because girls don't like that. But also, 'playing hard to get' doesn't work either. You have to seem interested but not TOO interested."
He gave me a strange look, "Confusing I know, once again girls are dumb."
At this point I had stopped cutting his hair momentarily and was no longer looked at him through the mirror but had turned and was talking face to face. He said he would wait until Monday to talk to her, but clearly didn't understand much of my other thoughts.

I texturised his hair, took care it was all even, asked him how he liked it once he was please I went to get my LL to check it off.

Henry said that he was thinking of going blonde, like white blonde. I told him that it would be possible, not in one day, but possible. I gave him my card and told him that if he wanted to come back for anything he should request me.

He tipped me $4. The usual tip for an $8 haircut is $2 so I was quite pleased.


But how ADORABLE, a highschool kid comming and asking me advice with he girl troubles!! He said that is usual hairsylist was a guy in Orem.... so he came to the school specifically to talk to a girl!
SO CUTE!

Monday, January 12, 2009

Making Beauty My Business

Beacon is your opportunity to network with and learn from some of the most successful salon/spa owners in the industry. Learn what they are looking for in new talent and how to market yourself to potential employers. You'll sit side by side with famed stylists turned prosperous business owners during the Symposium general sessions. Then, you'll attend Beacon breakout sessions facilitated by these same salon superstars on topics such as interviewing, career choices, client base and being part of a team.

The relationships you develop and the education you gain at Beacon will shape your career take you to the top of the industry. Take advantage of this extraordinary opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge of the industry you have chosen for your profession. Beacon began in 2001 and has had over 600 students participate in the program!

Beacon accepts just 100 cosmetology students each year. Beacon winners receive free tuition to PBA Symposium.

Beacon is produced by the Professional Beauty Association (PBA), a non-profit trade association.
Lead by industry volunteers, PBA represents the interests of the professional beauty industry from manufacturers and distributors to salons and spas. PBA started the Beacon program to help young salon/spa innovators gain an early understanding of the business side of the industry.

"[Beacon] was filled with great education, fabulous speakers, but most of all, amazing energy. It was amazing how I wished my whole school could have experienced those special days." - Nicole Kieslich, Beacon Winner 2006



Beacon Entry Checklist:

Step 1: Create a Professional Resume

A Professional resume is an important part of getting a job


Step 2: Create Portfolio Images

Submit three before and after shots (six images total), appropriate to the career path you would like to follow (hair, nails, skin, etc.). You may use mannequins or live models for this portion of the application process. This is an opportunity to show premier salon and spa owners from across the country what you can do!


Step 3: Create a Professional Marketing Piece

Here's your opportunity to let your creativity shine! We want you to create a piece to sell yourself as a future salon/spa professional. Think of this as a marketing piece you would show to your potential future clientele and employers. Use your creativity to create a promotional item about yourself, your skills and your goals in the industry! Examples of marketing pieces include: a website, brochure, billboard, 30-second commercial posted on YouTube…it's up to you!




I want to apply and go to Beacon this year. Applications are due March 2009, any student enrolled in Cosmetology school from September 2008-March 1st 2009 is eligible. I will graduate a month after the enrollment deadline, which means that I can go!
I am confident in my practical/technical skills as a hairstylist... the part I'm a bit apprehensive about still is the business aspect of it all. Finding a job, keeping a job, retaining clients, that type of thing. Going to Beacon will help me with this.

I'm thinking that I want to create a website for the third step of the application. A type of on-line business card. I'm just not sure what the best free web hosting site is...

"Ahh-Haa" Moment

At my school there are two sections, Phase One and Phase Two.

Phase One is where everyone goes when they are doing hair. It is a huge room with around 56 "stations" similar to the kind you would find in a typical salon, except that these are free floating and not attached to the wall, instead there are two stations back to back.
There are six sinks in this room.
when we are "on the floor" (meaning practicing the hands-on stuff, actually doing hair) we are in this room and there is usually more students per stations, though never more than 40 clients.
On the floor it is loud, cluttered and slightly chaotic. With over 80 people at times all talking, many blow dryers going it is very difficult to hear what your client is saying. (I have mastered the skill of reading lips through the mirror while working on their hair. Which is actually much more difficult than you would think.)
Because we are students practicing with out licenses there are L.L.'s (in the Paul Mitchell world "Learning Leaders" or our teachers") watching over what we are doing. The rule is 1 LL per 20 students. We have to have a LL come and sign our service ticket before we start the service, after the cut/color/perm, an at the end after we have styled. I cannot count the times I have had to leave my client sitting in the chair for 5 minutes while I searched for the LL assigned to me.

This is Phase One, where 90% of the students practice, and most of my "challenges" (there are no mistakes or complaints in the PM world, only discoveries and challenges) are not a fault of my school. Just the nature of hair school in general.


Phase Two is something unique to PM schools. It is one of the few teams in the school, a sort of "extracurricular" program. To get into Phase Two you have to have at least 1000 hours (half done with school) and apply.
Phase Two is a completely different room on the other side of the school. It is smaller and set up like a real salon. Only six stations up against the walls, two sinks. There are never more than 6 students in the room, one LL. It is much closer to a real salon atmosphere, quiet and relaxed. Also, because it is a nicer atmosphere, with only students who know what they are doing the cost to get your hair done is close to double Phase One prices
I have 1500 hours and have been eligible to be in Phase Two for months now, but I don't want to be there because you are in all day which means you miss class, which is one of my favorite parts about school.
Recently I found out that there is a different team during the week than on Saturday. There is no class on Saturdays. Even still I was afraid to try out, I am never quite confident in all my skills. (... Girls only want guys with really great skills, Nun-chuck stills, bow-staff skills...)

Last Saturday, in Phase One I had an "more mature" lady come in for her weekly hair style. I finished and was walking over to the time clock to clock out for Lunch... when Whitney one of the Phase One receptionists. She looked a little bit disheveled, she told me that Mike, one of the usualy students in Phase Two had to leave for a personal emergency and I was the only one able to cover for him, to do his full foil weave (highlights) which is my least favorite service, and the one I am least confidnet it.
I said I was on my way to lunch... that I wasn't good at weaves, I rattled off the names of a few other students with enough hours fo go to Phase Two. All of these people already had clients booked in Phase One.
Saying no really wasn't an option, so I grabbed all my stuff and walked over to Phase Two. The LL and the receptionist both looked relieved that I was there and ensured me that I would do fine, they would do anything they could to help me.
I sit up my station, and escorted my guest over... I did the service and found that as I was doing it, in this salon atmosphere, things were coming easier w/o the chaos of Phase One. I could hear what my client was saying and had a nice conversation with her.
With the help of another student I did the weave with no hesitations. After nearly three hours (which is a normal time for a cut, treatment and weave) I said goodbye to my client (I have to admit that I cannot remember her name) I sold her some product and I felt pretty good about myself.
As I was doing her hair, I had an "ahh-haa" moment. I love hair, I enjoy doing it. For the last 13 months I have done hair, I haven't hated it, liked what I did. I viewed it as something I could do to make money that I didn't hate, something to help me get through my life, hopefully pay for the ridiculous tuition to the college I want to go to in a few years.
BUT, I won't only do hair to make money, but I'll be happy doing it!

I am completely confident in my technical abilities as for as cutting, perming and styling goes. The place I am not so sure about is color and highlights. Almost the only thing they get in Phase Two is colors and highlights. In my 11 months in school I have done a total of two weaves...
The receptionist in Phase Two convinced me that I would enjoy being in Phase Two on Saturdays... this way I can still go to class, but also have the opportunity to practice my color and weave skills, which are the services I will be doing the most when I'm out in the working world.

I am a little bit apprehensive, but excited.

Also, starting next week I am going to start going to both day and night school... I am going to be in Phase Two during night school because they only have class on Mondays so I won't miss it. I am excited for that.

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Things I'll Deal With

I belong (or soon will) to two different but similar industries: Beauty and Theatre

There is a lot in common in these two, for instance
Image is EVERYTHING. (It may be shallow but it's true)
*No one is going to want me to do their hair if my hair is gross/horrible and they are more likely to trust me (therefore pay the big bucks) if I have impeccable fashion sense.
*Similarly, a person such as I will never play the stereotypical female love interest, or the lead. I am fit to play a supporting maternal role. (Type-casting is alive and well today)

As much as we are told not to judge, it happens. Within the first three seconds of a new encounter, you are evaluated… even if it is just a glance. It is human nature to do so, in business and social environments. First Impressions mean everything in both the Beauty and Theatre industries, if a prospective client doesn't like the way I do my hair, or finds something offensive in my dress, demeanor or speech I have just lost not only their business but the business of all their friends. If in the theatre world you show up to an audition wearing holey jeans and greasy hair they are going to assume that you don't care enough to look nice.
Image means the world in both of my main pursuits in life. This is I spend 30 minutes on my make-up alone, dye and trim my hair at least every 4 weeks and spend far too much money on hair products and make-up.

Another similarity is;
People (stereotypes hold true more often than you might think)
(DISCLAIMER: The following sentiments are about people IN GENERAL, not everyone. There are good/kind/thoughtful people everywhere, people who defy the stereotype.)

Theatre People (in general): Self-absorbed and generally loathed group of people. Care only for drama and themselves Someone who wears all black, wears tons of make-up, and who drinks coffee (or alcohol) everyday. Back-stabbers and totally fake. They will be perfectly pleasant to your face but turn right around and talk about you in the worst possible way.

Hairdressers (again, only in general): Self-absorbed, worldly and materialistic. Obsessed with looking good, thinks they always look good (even when they DON'T.) The most notorious gossips. Known for their sometimes outrageous style. They will tell you what they think, to your face regardless of how blunt/tactless/heartless it is.

Both: People who think too much of themselves, are obsessed with image, back-stabbers, gossips.

Oh, and another stereotype which is upheld more so than the others is the type of men both industries attract.
When most people think of a gay man, the occupation they associate with them is either hairdresser or actor on the stage. I can say, having been in both places, that it is 100% true. Important: Not all male hairdressers are gay. Not all male actors (stage) are gay. I am simply saying that these two industries are ones that attract these guys.


I don't know if it will surprise you to learn that of these three things (image, mean people, lots of gay men) The only one I have any problem with is the backstabbing, gossips.

Image is something everyone deals with, I am comfortable enough with myself to feel good about myself. I like taking care of myself, I love wearing make-up and my crazy hair.

Gay men are some of my favorite people I know. (Again, in general) they are sincere, kind, sweet, loving people who mean what they say and say what they mean. All of my best friends are gay guys. It's like having a girlfriend and a guy friend in one.
When the girl in the hall compliments your purse or hair you have to think... "Does she really think so? What is she after? Maybe she is joking, or was dared to say so or is just messing with me..." and a million other things. But when your gay friend tells you you look cute today, or that belt makes you look amazing all you can think is "He's amazing, he means it, I love him!"
Girls are always comparing you to themselves and other girls around and with the ridiculous modles on TV and in magazines. Straight guys either don't notice, or don't know what they are talking about when they say "No, you don't look fat in that dress" or "I like that shirt." Or (a select few), are pigs and only notice too tight shirts, short shorts and plunging necklines.
Because of the nature of gay guys they aren't comparing themselves with you, and don't care for plunging necklines. BUT they know about fashion, what looks good and what you could change.

The thing I have issues with is girls. I hate girls, they are mean, spiteful, manipulative. They gossip about everything, spread malicious rumors just to see what will happen. If you tell something to someone in confidence it's very likely that by lunch time half the population will know.
(Today I told something to a friend, it was a bit gossipy and I probably shouldn't have but this friend had been gone for a week and I was catching her up on things such as who got married, who was pregnant, who quit school; that type of thing... But then she went around and asked someone if it was true, and pinning me as the source, that person told someone who told someone, ... then it turned into one of those she said that she heard it from her who told that girl who overheard it while washing her hands last Tuesday. It turns out that it wasn't true [even though I heard it from the source, the person it was about] and I will probably get grief tomorrow for either knowing it, believing it or telling it. OR this person may decide to be perfectly sweet to my face, then go and spread some ridiculous thing around. Something like, I started smoking pot, or am having an affair or that I'm somehow pregnant or something horrible like that. I thought, stupidly, that this friend I told wouldn't tell anyone else, or at least would keep my name out of it)
This is the type of drama that I try to keep myself out of. I tend not to hang out with many girls at school. (I go to school with 100 girls and around 9 guys) The guys don't gossip as much and are much more genuine.
GAH! I HATE GIRLS!

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

My Christmas 2009

So, I will now tell you about my Christmas...
For Christmas my parents got me plane tickets home and back. My flight home was from Salt Lake to Portland to Spokane on Monday the 22nd, the Monday before Christmas.
[So a few days before I left Lauri and I went to our Daddy Martin's house to see his Christmas lights (he has the biggest house display this side of the Mississippi and this side of the Rocky's, synchronized to music and such) While we were there he had me open my presents as I would be in Washington on actual Christmas. (I got a lots of movies, a pretty necklace, a heat/ice pack with my name on it which is the perfect thing for when my kidneys start hating me and a fan for my silly overheating computer.) Also while we were there my little sister Kelly entertained us, I haven't laughed that hard for a while, hehe!]
So, my flight was at 2:30. The weather was gross (and still is) so Lauri and I left at 11 to be sure I would get there in plenty of time. It usually takes about an hour to get to the airport from Provo... we got there around one. The roads were horrible, they couldn't plow them fast enough because of how heavy it was snowing. There was one point when we were passing a diesel, and it's front tires threw snow up on our windshield and for an entire three seconds we couldn't see out of it at all, and three seconds when you are going 55 miles an hour is forever.
So, we finally got to the airport and I take my baggage up to check it. I stood at the little desk thing and the lady told me not to get my hopes up about leaving because of a huge storm in Portland, and one in Spokane. I checked my bags anyway, just in case. I started panicking at this point that I wouldn't get home. (The biggest reason I wanted to go home was to see Jeremy, I had been counting down to seeing him for over a month.)
I went through security, and the person who checked my boarding pass make a "I'm sorry" face when she saw where I was going.
I walked to my gate, on the com pleat other side of the airport of course, carrying awkward bags. By my gate there was way too many people. Apparently there were three flights canceled in the past week from SLC to Portland and there were loads of people waiting on standby. I called my mom in a panic and asked her to look at the weather in Portland and Spokane. Everything looked fine so said the weather man. The lady at the desk near my gate went over the intercom and said that there hadn't been a flight in and out of Portland in three days, but they were doing everything they could to get us there.
I sat at the gate for an hour longer than planned.
Finally after what seemed like forever the same voice came over the intercom and said that they were now boarding the plane, we were going to Portland. There were actually people who stood up and cheered. We got in lines and filed onto the plane. I walked down the isle past many families with little children and people with big hair (big hair is a trademark of Utah) I got to my seat about half way back and sat between two girls who looked around my age. I put my carry on above my seat and started chatting with the two girls. Both of them had tried to fly to Portland before but their flights were canceled.
The ominous voice of the captain came over the intercom, we hadn't started moving yet... The voice told us that after doing everything we could we're sorry but this flight has been canceled.

I immediately called Jeremy. By the time he came to the phone I was well beyond a few tears. I told him that "my flight was canceled and that I wouldn't be coming home tonight, I don't know when I'm going to see you, I was sitting in the plan and they canceled it, I don't know what I'm supposed to do now, I don't know where my luggage is or how I'm supposed to get home and see you or where I'm supposed to go or how I'm expected to come home." He calmed me down, told me to call my mother, talk to the people in charge, find my baggage. That I would get home eventually and we would see each other soon.
I did as he said, called my mom and she called the airport ticket people to reschedule.The next available flight was not until Thursday... the 25th... CHRISTMAS DAY!
I went to my Daddy Martin's (biological father) house, I had Christmas Eve with the Slacks (The part that made me cheer up a TINY bit was that I got to see my Grandma Slack there, who I hardly ever see.) I didn't open presents in the morning because I had opened them the week before.
I went to the airport, checked my baggage, went through security and walked the long way all the way to the same gate as before. I sat and waited, there were hardly anyone in the entire airport, even less at my gate.
My plane boarded an hour late, but the flight only took an hour and 15 minutes when it usually takes two hours.
So, pretty much my Christmas sucked royally. But life goes on I suppose.

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

2009. A New Beginning

So, my New Years Resolution is to keep up to date on this blog...

I have a few other blogs which all serve different purposes, one to siphon my thoughts into one place and rant about life and this one was originally created to keep family and friends up to date on the happenings of me... but seeing as I have only posted four times all within two weeks of starting it which was September 2007 or so......


My goal is to write every Sunday... but we'll see how that goes
we'll start again.

It is the beginning of January 2009 and I am 3/4ths of the way done with hair school. I started Nov. 5th 2007 and will be done either the last week of March or the first week of April 2009.
In a week or two I will stitch from going 9-4:30 Tuesday-Saturday (a 35 hour schedule) to going Tuesday-Thursday 9am-10pm and Friday, Saturday 9-4:30 which will make me done with my 2000 hours about a month earlier than originally planned, and hopefully helping me finish my by 20th birthday on March 30th.



If anyone is going to understand my daily life maybe I should explain a few of the people in it first!

(Semi-)Comprehensive Guide to those Aubrey associates with:

I live in Sparks II apt # 2 with five other girls, one of which is my sister.
Lauri: Lauri is my older sister (four and a half years older) also my room room mate. We have the bedroom with bunk beds. I have bottom she has top. She works early morning custodial on BYU campus and therefore goes to bed by 8 every night.

Carolyn Befelt: Carolyn is a sophomore/junior at BYU. A studio art major she always has some project or another going on. She is cute and quirky, likes anime and video games. Her and Lauri get along very well.

Lindsay is not a student at BYU, she works long absurd hours at a nursing home/assisted living place. She never seems to be home when I am and when she is she is sleeping due to her absurd shifts at work. She went on a mission, loves to travel and foreign movies.

Ashley Stadler is 21 and amazing, her and Ariel hail from Lake Havasu, Arizona. Ashley is a early childhood ed major with a minor in music. I think that she is looking into being a music teacher or something cool like that. She has an amazing singing voice and is great fun to hang out with. She is 1st counselor of our wards relief society. Last year she put in her papers to go on a mission, got called to the Philippians but her boyfriend asked her to stay, so she did. They recently broke up because she was ready to get married but he wasn't. She plans on re-submitting her papers as soon as she gets enough money.

Ariel Cannon is the youngest in the apartment just having turned 18 last week. She skipped 8th grade and started BYU right after graduation. She is an exercise science major and wants to work in a hospital like her mother. Ashley and Ariel grew up in the same town and mock each other relentlessly, it is probably the best entertainment in Provo watching those two go at it. She is also a relief society teacher

So that is Sparks II #2. Aubrey Lauri, Carolyn Lindsay, Ashley and Ariel.


Other people I will talk about a lot are my few friends at school who include:

Cam 157 (Nelson): Just turned 30. He is a lifesaver and one of my favorite people in the world. He started school at PMtS the same time as I did. He is tall and skinny, over six foot. Before coming to hair school he was a ballet dancer for 18 years. Also, he does Drag. He has helped me through multiple near mental breakdowns at school and always has something positive to say. He calls me sweet-pea or sugar bear, which I think is adorable. I love my Cam friend

KD 77 (Tohara): 19. She is a feisty little thing, one of those people who upon first glance seems quiet and innocent. But this 5'3" girl reminds me of a cussing 6 year old. She is tiny but crazy. She also started school the same time I did. She is half white half Hawaiian-Japanese, but doesn't look very Asian. She is dating a Samoan named Cione who is 23 and constantly in and out of prison for fighting. Hahaha, she makes me giggle. KD also makes fun of everyone for everything, it is usually funny but can be hurtful at times as well... she makes constant fun of me for being friends with Jeremy.

Kelsy 11 (Huges): 19. Hails from California, parents moved to Utah soon before she started school (she also started with me) She is a drama queen and a bit shallow, but going to hair school you have to expect at least half the people to be like that. Kelsey is my friend of convenience, because we started together not because we have anything in common, but I still enjoy talking to her at school.

Kiley 22 (Leishman): 19 Lives next door to me in Sparks #3. She also started school with me back in November of '07. Because we live in the same complex we are in the same church ward. I took the summer off as did most of the people I talk to at school, but Kiley didn't so she was ahead of us. A few months ago she got into a car crash, no one was hurt but her car was totalled. She switched from day school (9-4:30 five days a week) to night school (5-10 four days a week) so she could work more and pay for her car. So now I am slightly ahead of her as far as hours at school go. I don't see her much because when I'm as school she's at work and when she's at school I'm home, but we see each other at church. She is relief society secretary. Also, Kiley is the only one I will let cut my hair, she is the only one who has cut my hair in over a year, because we go to school at different times I now go into her during Night school and pay full price (only $8) for her to continue the style I have... I really don't know what I'm going to do once I move away!

Kayce Heap 137: She is amazing, also started with me. When she started school she was a single mother of three kids, a few months back she got married to a single father of two and they are now pregnant with a little girl! I want to say she is 34 but I could be wrong... She is someone at school I can talk to about things that require more than a high school intelligence, and she has been around the block and knows things.

Jenny 72: Jenny is 17 and started school less than five months ago. She is the person that I hang out with the most at school, I'm not really sure why. She is a really good listener and doesn't mock me at all. I feel comfortable telling Jenny about most things that go on. We are both Saturday students while the majority of everyone else come on Monday and not Saturday.

Madison 89: 21, started with Jenny. A transfer student from Florida. In Florida you only need 1400 hours not the 2000 hours required in Utah. She was working in a salon in Florida when she moved to Utah and had to come back to school to catch up on hours, even though she started recently we will be finished around the same time. She hangs out with Jenny and I and has similar humors to us. We make fun of each other often, but never about anything serious.

Others who started school with me include: Michelle 12, Kendra 123, Kathy 41 (who will graduate very soon) Rikki, Bree, Julia 28


Teachers (or Learning Leaders, LL as they are called in the Paul Mitchell world) who I will talk about frequently include:

Gio: Has his own salon in down town Provo. He is the head cutting teacher and teaches class every Thursday. He is straight and seems to feel the need to Provo it constantly by flirting with all the girls. He tells lots of useless stories and is not a very good teacher at all. I like him alright as a person, and I don't mind at all when he is the LL over me when I'm doing someones hair, but his classes make me want to shank him with a rusty pair of shears.

Mikaela: She is new as of a few months ago and I love her to death. She is the Make-up teacher and as you may or may not know make-up is where my true passion lies. She is really good about getting us students re-energised about school. I learn a lot every time I have class with her and when she is over you on the floor when I'm doing hair she just makes you feel like you are worth a million bucks and you can do anything. When she points out discoveries (as there are no mistakes, only discoveries we learn from) she does it in such a way that makes you feel good about yourself and helps you learn for next time.

Sarah: One of my favorite LL. She doesn't teach a class, just out on the floor but I go out of my way to sit in the section that she is over so that she will be my LL for that day. She is great fun to talk to and knows what she is talking about when it comes to hair. She uses the word "perfect" a lot when checking my haircuts and makes me love what I do even more. Also, she will go out of her way after a service to find you and compliment your work.

Brittney: She is my favorite LL and my mentor. She teaches color class and knows a lot about the hair world. She works at Gio's salon on Center Street but also does some freelance make-up work. She often does bridal packages which include hair and make-up. She went to design school in California and is everything that I want to be. She is an amazing teacher and I learn something new every time I see her, even if she isn't teaching I learn about life, and hair, and beauty, and make-up and professionalism. I love her dearly.


Another person whom I love, the person I will most likely talk about the most is my best friend. My "facebook husband." My supporter, cohort, comrade and confidant.
Jeremy Coppock: He is 17, a senior in high school who will graduate June, 2009. I went to high school with him and we both did drama. We were only in three shows together as he doesn't do the musicals (he thinks he can't sing, but he can.) We became friends backstage of Twelfth Night my last show at Hanford High. Then in the beginning of October this year I randomly called him on the phone, ever since then we have talked on the phone every Friday and Saturday for anywhere to one hour up to five.
Our humors are very much alike, and very unlike most other peoples. He fits my usual male friend tendencies, as in he is gay.
We have the same insecurities, the same worries, the same fears. Our situations are very different, me being a Mormon girl who loves/gets along with all her family and lives w/ her sister and him being a gay Presbyterian (bordering on agnostic) who doesn't get along w/ any of his family and has a brother who causes him daily anguish... Our brains seem to run on the same wave length.
We talk about anything and everything. Different things that I don't think I could talk about with most other people.



So, now you know about most of the people I love/associate with, and will understand the rest of my blog a little bit better. :)