Consultations and a Hint of Spring

My first unhappy client:
For the next two months every Monday night I bring two models into the salon and perform two womens haircuts to be graded on. There are 8 haircuts total and I have to do each one twice. The first time I do the cut I've got to get an 85% or higher. After I accomplish that one I have to do it a second time and get a 100%. This is part of the intensive training my salon requires and I think it's great. Since I am new to the area, I have been using craigslist as a recruiting tool. All in all it's worked out great. Last Monday however, I had my first unhappy client. In the end it all worked out. After a few days of messing with it the woman ended up liking her cut. I was very upset at first, and a little embarrassed. After talking it over with some more experienced stylists I learned some important things.
*The consultation may be the most important part of the entire service
*There are many ways a consultation can go wrong
*The customer always has an opinion, even if they say they don't
-If the client says they have no opinion on their hair and you can do whatever you want, you are probably not asking the right questions.

I am hoping tonight goes better!

The most depressing tax return ever:
I finished my tax return. The refund was not as much as I expected. But at least it will be just as much as I have gotten back in past years. The depressing part was my total income for 2008. When I saw the number I was floored. Let me just say that it is well below the poverty level. I know I am chasing dreams, and there are consequences in doing so. But I really cannot believe I have been able to live on an income so low. I slipped into an afternoon depression after that. I couldn't even look in the mirror. I have a very strong work ethic. And despite the fact that I have pretty much been working full time over the past year, the number did not reflect it.

The Weather:
Denver has a 60 degree week ahead and let me just say this might just get me through it! Living in the midwest, this is the time of winter that gets brutal. February can be the hardest month to get through with all the 30 degree overcast days. I can't say enough about the mild weather and sunshine at the foot of the Rockies and how much it can effect a person's emotional state. Yes, I am still smitten with this city!!

Smitten

So smitten I am with this city! Zoe and I were tearing up the pavement today. It is still 80 degrees and sunny here and we are loving it! I am finding Denver to be so much more open and warm than Chicago was. (I mean that theoretically not litterally)There is boundless creativity, gigantic beautiful parks, and so much character!


Little Man Ice Cream looks like someone dreamed that they went to a giant Milk can and got served ice cream. So what did they do? They made their dream come true. Our ice cream place when I was a kid was not quite as exciting. It was called "The Country Dip" and it just looked like someone's little red garage in a corn field. But Little Man even has a balloon machine! In back you can walk up to the machine, put in a dollar, and out comes a helium filled balloon! How cool is that? And this place isn't in the middle of an amusement park like you would think. It is just tucked right into a normal little neighborhood.

Ahh yes, my relationship with Denver is definitely in "The Honeymoon Stage". Right in the heart of LODO (lower downtown) or what some might call the warehouse district is the confluence of the Cherry Creek and the South Platte River. It's called Confluence Park and what a sight! A mini sand beach, plenty of lush green grass, and even hiking trails with tall weeds and grass that Zoe Can't get enough of! She feels like she is back in Vail again! She's always on the prowl, hunting for something.



It is hard to believe there is such a beautiful slice of nature right in the heart of downtown Denver! We might not have to go all the way up to the mountains as often as we think to get our fix ; )There are several really cool bridges that run right over this river too. Since I have been job-searching on foot, I have had the pleasure of finding lots of the ins, and outs, and nicks and crannys that house some really neat little shops and restaurants. I hate to compare Apples to Oranges, but I have only been here two weeks and already this city seems so much more amorous with what it has to offer than Chicago ever did while I was there. Alas I have found my true city love! You can see more Denver pics Here

A Mile High Honey

Viva la Denver!!! We made it. We got moved in. I hope I don't have to move again for a looooong time! I am so sick of moving! Not long ago I was at my Grandmother's and went to go get out her broom to sweep. I recognized her broom as being the same one I can ever remember her having since I was a child. And I thought: Wow, this thing is like at least 20 years old. I don't think I own ANYthing that I did twenty years ago. But when you move as frequently as I do, I guess that happens.

The most fun thing about moving for us creatives is decorating! I am quite proud of the pictures BTB and I put together over what will become our mini bar. I bought a series of photos from istockphoto.com and printed them on my inkjet. It was an inexpensive way to get a great wall piece. I know, you don't have to tell me-I should just sign up for design star now huh? The apartment is actually quite a bit bigger than the one in Vail. The only downside is Zoe doesn't have a private yard anymore. There isn't a whoe lot of grass right near the building. But there is a great park not too far that I know she will go to a lot. The other thing I am enjoying is our freezer collage!! I am hoping to fill the entire fridge eventually. Look close and you will see John Lennon, and the top of Dave Matthews head. I fully expect all of you who enjoy teasing that I am a hippie to let me hear about it.

I am looking for a salon job and have an interview for one on Friday. I am hoping to be done with school in January. Every once in a while, when things get a little hard, I tell myself that I am stupid for having a college degree and not using it to live comfortably. But then I remember that it's about a quality of life, not just money. And I am loving the salon life, so I know I'm on the right path! BTB's job starts here in Denver next week. I know he is anxious to be settled in. I guess the Broncos are doing pretty well, but I am not converting into a fan anytime soon. Although I would quite enjoy seeing a Colorado Avalanche match sometime. We are looking forward to a trip back to Ohio for Melanie and Joe's wedding in two weeks. We will be in Cleveland for the wedding and then a short stay with The B family. I might even get to see my grown-up little sister play some ball! : ) Well, that's all for now. I am about to enjoy popcorn for dinner. (boy can you tell I am my mother's child or what?) If you never have try it with salt AND pepper. That is a trick I learned from one of the many redheads in my life. Love and hugs.