Day 8 ~ Penelope Squared ~ 7/31/13

Cosmetology Journal ~ Day 8 ~ Penelope Squared ~ 7/31/13

Day 3 of Haircutting

These days are flying by so fast that its getting hard to remember what happened before or after a break.

That being said today was long length square layer cut day. In other words all the hair is brought straight up and cut even, kinda the reverse of doing a straight trim when it hangs down.

First we watched the video with a lady instructor named Linda demonstrating the cut.

After break we got started using Monday's Penelope. I went to work pretty well with it and understood what I was supposed to do but at first I had my manikin up too high because I had both extenders still on the clamp from the other trim. So once Mrs. C told me to try it lower away I went. The problem is we aren't cutting enough off to really see anything to cut because of all the layers. So it was taking me time to check and recheck if I needed to cut something. About halfway through we had a visit from the Area and Regional  people and they spent like 15 minutes talking to us. Then I finished my second side and third of four sections and as I went to start the last section Mrs. C comes over to correct my partings and she starts fixing them up and it dawned on me that she thought I was done and about to start the cut over again since we were going to do it again. So I said I haven't cut the last section yet and we got it figured out LOL.
So I got it done.

After lunch I came in confident and ready to go. I took Penny to the bowl and soaked her again to save myself some time. Got her sectioned out. Dropped the front guide and went to cut the 1/2 inch shorter. I cut it and when I went to make the guide up top it was barely shorter so I redid the front guide a little bit shorter so Instead of 1/2 it was more like 3/4 inch. I got to work cutting the top and sides on the right and I actually saw something to cut. Then I got to the back right where I'm supposed to start taking angled sections kinda like a pie or wheels spokes and I was grabbing the subsections just fine but I couldn't see where to cut. I kept combing it over and over and meanwhile everyone else is finishing their second cuts and she's telling them they can go ahead and blowdry to look at them before we move on to the short cut.

I'm here on this blog to tell the truth so I'm going to. My frustration with falling behind started growing and had me muttering to myself until I couldn't take it anymore and I just said I give up and put the tools down. Mrs. C then came over to check and that's when she pointed out that none of that hair in back was reaching. Then she went to do the other side and asked me if I had taken a half inch and I said yes. She asked me something about how I do it trying to see if I used the comb marks and I pointed out how I did it and that its halfway between the end and the 1. I didn't say I took more than that. Anyway she barely cut anything on the side and then went to the back left and there was nothing reaching there either. So she said I was done.

After break I got to start on blow drying and I'm glad I did. She showed me how I was starting from the top at first and just needed to start at the bottom first and just go dig in with my hands and not fuss so much with a brush. Then I got to work sectioning for the round brush and I had me a ball with that round brush today. I had that hair lifting on base all the way to the top meaning if this is up, out, and down \ | /  (If this were sideways like an E ) I had that hair held on the up angle which gives it lots of volume just like when I do that with rollers. And today I got all of the hair, even on top.  We didn't get to the shorter cut or the irons today.

But I'm still rating this a succesful day. If the hair doesn't reach that's not my fault. Bottom line is I learned things today and I like what I learned. Maybe its better that I blow my top today than a few weeks from now. I'm still purging. There's still leftovers in me from the old school that I need to get past. And I will. I'm glad I have her to help me.

Today's style was a banded tail with purple bands. I then put my purple velvet like scrunchie at the top. I didn't get a picture.

But I have this picture of the workshop class. I took it at the end of the day without a flash.

Day 7 ~ Change For A Penny ~ 7/30/13

Cosmetology Journal ~ Day 7 ~ Change For A Penny ~ 7/30/13

Today was day 2 of Haircutting.

We started the day with theory in the book and going over our workbooks.

Then after break we did a one length cut on the other Penelope (Penny) manikin. We went with a bigger trim this time so I probably trimmed about 3 inches. I cut it to just below the ring of the manikin clamp. I did the whole thing without being checked or corrected nor needing to be. She was watching but didn't stop me for anything. I'm just glad I don't have to squat like a catcher because my thighs were dead today. When I was squating like that yesterday I couldn't concentrate on what i was doing because I was trying so hard to not hurt myself. I'm sure there will come a time when I have to squat like that for a real client but for the most part I have the option of having someone stand if I needed it. Or just make sure I'm cutting right like I'm doing now.  There are also stools for some salons.

So I went to lunch feeling pretty good and right on track. 

After lunch we watched a slide show on the Wella products we carry and then we watched a video on how to blow dry. 

Then after break it was time to get to twirling the brushes. I really only used my dryer less than a handful of times at my old school. Half of those were for blowing out tight curls with the comb attachment. So I was pretty much learning this from scratch again. I know the trick with using the barrel of the dryer to help hold the hair but otherwise I'm new. So Went to work and was getting the hang of it for the most part. I did the initial drying fairly well with just a few pointers. Then when it came time to use the round brush came the most useful tip. I was trying to pick the section up with the brush and she picked it up with her fingers. "Ah Ha" moment. Plus she showed me how she was still holding the hair with the brush and then putting the dryer barrel back under the hair to start blowing that section again. I had noticed it earlier during her demo but it slipped my mind during my other drying. But I got my swagger on and was doing a bit of dancing around that head. Felt like I'd been doing it my whole life. Which is still ironic since its probably the 20th time I've used a dryer at all counting on myself. I didn't quite get the last bit of the top done because we had to stop for some paperwork. 

Tomorrow we'll be using either the Flat iron or the Marcel curling iron or both. And we're supposed to do a long layered cut. 

So today was the great day I was expecting. I wore my new Black with White Polka dots bow on an elastic

 

Thanks for reading, I appreciate it.

~ No Tangles ~

Week 2, Day 6, 7/29/13 - Haircuts For A Penny

Cosmetology Journal - Week 2, Day 6, 7/29/13 - Haircuts For A Penny

Before I move on here are the new manikins

Penelope & Penelope the twins. Ben, Naomi, & Reese.


These next 2 weeks are haircutting.
This morning we did some book theory about the angles and ways to hold the hair and how to hold the tools.
We then started watching along with a set of dvd videos going through some steps on sectioning and such.
After break we shampooed one of the two Penelope manikins and went to work trying the sectioning.
I just want to say once again that I love learning again. I learned a new sectioning method for clipping the sections that I never knew that's simple and fast. Not as much winding and winding and it looks nice and neat. I also love having manikins that I can get the comb through so I can actually get from the forehead to the nape with my comb without having to fix the part line.
So after the shampooing and trying the sections a few times it was lunch time.

After lunch we watched the video show us how to cut the first section. Then Mrs. C let us have at it.
I was struggling at first because even with my 2 manikin extenders that this school provides I was trying to crouch down to get eye level. Finally Mrs. C told me I didn't have to do that anymore and I got to work. We did about 1 1/2 inch for the first cut and it was just a 0 degree elevation meaning not lifting. Which on the manikin with no chair or body in the way means its as straight down as you can get. This first full cut was a bit difficult because barely anything reached the guide with all the odd layers the manikins come with. Between trying to crouch like a catcher and not seeing anything to cut it took some doing. But I finished about the same time as others. I forget exactly when break time came but she had use do the same cut again cutting an inch more and this time I got through like I knew what I was doing. Then we cleaned up and did or daily logs and such and did the extra cleanup we do on Monday.

Mrs. C was proud of us because we weren't even supposed to do a cut until tomorrow and we rocked out 2 already. So Penny got Haircuts and tomorrow the other Penny will too. This gives us a bit of an advantage since we haven't had our perm or roller study yet so we'll have a bit easier time wrapping with less layered and shorter hair.

Today I felt Real. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a scissor happy stylist. I pride myself on doing good trims and taking less. But I like my tools and I like the possibilities of what I can do with them. Being somewhere that is going to teach me how is what matters. I've been watching haircutting how to videos since 1996ish. Not only did I buy some with clippers kits but I sent away for the ones in those hairstyle magazines and then when I got the internet I ordered some too. I also found a few at Media Play when we had that store around here.
I even showed one of my videos at my old school one day. But until my hands do the task I'm not going to completely get it. So here we are at these 2 weeks for me to start getting it. And I'm going to. And I'm not going to stop learning.

I am where I need to be and I'm not leaving until I graduate.
Thanks for reading. I appreciate it.

Today's style is just a tail with a scrunchie and a band. But I got the scrunchie yesterday while I was having a very nice day at the mall with someone I went to Elementary school with so I wanted to show it since its not the usual scrunchie. Note this is an after school picture and I was messing with my hair at lunch and there's no band in the middle where I usually have one. So its messy :p

Going through my kit equipment

Going through my kit equipment earlier I came across my pouch with the shears and as I was looking at them and holding them I realized just how beautiful these items are. I've got some nice flat and marcel irons in cool zip up pouches. I've got a hair dryer. Its really mine. I loved my old dryer. Mrs. P gave it to me at the other school. And if I still have it and find it I'll still love it. But this new one is Mine. I'm going to be doing some awesome things with these tools. I've got clippers that came with a ton of attachments not just a basic set. I have a trimmer. My kit came with a mirror. 3 capes. I've got combs I've never used before. I've got 6 brushes to do fun things with.

I've got a set of makeup brushes in a nice pouch case. I wanna work some magic with those.

I hold my shears up to the light and I don't see a gap. Yeah there's a tiny glow but not a gap.

I get to make people happy with these items. Both by using them and by not using them on those who prefer me not to.

I don't care how long it takes me I'm going to use these tools and graduate this beautiful school and meet lots of nice people and I'm going to have some fun. I'm going to look in that mirror at two people smiling over and over. And maybe we'll dance on days other than friday too. :)

Minimum Practicals to Graduate

These are Practical Applications I must do on people or manikins that are minimums to graduate.


Note: Elective I assume means anything I do from that category that I may have already done that is extra. I need to have a combo of those as a total itself.

WS is Workshop class - This means I'll get this many done in the classroom at least on a manikin or other student.

HAIRCUTTING
           
Haircuts             ~~~  Need     75      ~~~  Done  0  ~~~  WS  11


HAIR STYLING               

Blowdry / style w/ Brush    ~~~  Need      15     ~~~  Done  0 
Blowdry / style w/ Iron    ~~~  Need      20      ~~~  Done  0 

Finger Waves        ~~~  Need      20    ~~~  Done  0 
Roller Sets            ~~~  Need      20    ~~~  Done  0   

Natural Hair Cultivation    ~~~  Need      20    ~~~  Done  0       
Pincurls            ~~~  Need      15    ~~~  Done  0   
   
Scalp / Hair treatment    ~~~  Need      30    ~~~  Done  0   
Thermal Press        ~~~  Need      20    ~~~  Done  0   
   
Wigs / Artificial hair        ~~~  Need      20    ~~~  Done  0
Elective             ~~~  Need      150    ~~~  Done  0

Total Combined        ~~~  Need      330    ~~~  Done  0  ~~~  WS  30


HAIR COLORING

Hair Lightening        ~~~  Need      10    ~~~  Done  0   
Permanent            ~~~  Need      8    ~~~  Done  0   

Semi-Permanent        ~~~  Need      8    ~~~  Done  0   
Temporary            ~~~  Need      8    ~~~  Done  0   

Elective            ~~~  Need      46    ~~~  Done  0   
Total Combined        ~~~  Need      80    ~~~  Done  0  ~~~  WS  9



CHEMICAL TEXTURIZING

Relaxer            ~~~  Need      15    ~~~  Done  0 
Permanent Wave        ~~~  Need      15    ~~~  Done  0 

Elective            ~~~  Need      50    ~~~  Done  0  
Total Combined        ~~~  Need      80    ~~~  Done  0  ~~~  WS  10


NAILS
Artificial (Not a service)    ~~~  Need      50    ~~~  Done  0 
Manicure or Pedicure    ~~~  Need      35    ~~~  Done  3 
Total Combined        ~~~  Need      85    ~~~  Done  0  ~~~  WS  3

SKIN CARE
Facial                ~~~  Need      5    ~~~  Done  0
Hair Removal            ~~~  Need      5    ~~~  Done  0
Makeup            ~~~  Need      5    ~~~  Done  0
Elective            ~~~  Need      25    ~~~  Done  0
Total Combined        ~~~  Need      40    ~~~  Done  0  ~~~  WS  7

Day 5, Week One Ends "Ony" Good Note

Cosmetology School Blog - Day 5, Week One Ends "Ony" Good Note

Hair of the day first. Since it was quiz and technical rubric manicure testday I decided to add some luck to my options. Yesterday I found out I can wear other colors for hair accessories so I figured I'd go for it. I was going to wear the 2 Purple Heart Bracelets but I could only find one and was running short on time so I just threw on a few purple bands to start with. Then I spotted the necklace I got a few years back when I met hair care forum people at the mall and bought it. So here is my tilted camera up against my pop bottle in the break room picture. Note At first I was trying to add more than my usual 3 bands so that's why the one looks stretched out and not in the right spot. Its in a spot I don't normally use.

Started the day with Friday Celebrations
This is where we all gather in the salon area and celebrate perfect attendances for the past week or possibly longer. And we had 1 Graduation today. And then it was time to dance. And for the first time in I life I wasn't one of the people who sat in the chairs on the sidelines. I said out loud I'm tired of being afraid. If they could hear me with the music playing. And I danced like a clumsy oaf but I danced. I'm going to keep getting up and dancing and come June I don't care what my dance looks like my butt's gonna dance.

 Class started with some last minute review on nails.

Took the 20 question Nail quiz. None of the Ony - Disease words were on it. Must be on the one in the next room or to get to it. I missed 1 out of 20 for 95%.

After break we started the Technical Rubric / Practical test on doing a manicure. Lady O did mine first and she did a nice job. Other than me noticing that she didn't do the arm portion of the hand and arm massage, with a mental note since I can't tell her she did well. I don't think Mrs C saw that since she had to watch everyone. However although she got done in the time given that could have given me time to do mine before lunch we were waiting on Mrs C to come over and grade her so I ended up with about 20 minutes. Which I was ok with. 
Until I got to trying to remove her polish with the non acetone. It ended up taking me the whole 20 minutes trying to get that stuff off. Probably would have been less than 5 with pure acetone.

So I had to finish it after lunch. And I did a good job with it until I got to the polish. Instead of the red Mrs C said to use this flesh tone pink which I couldn't see while brushing it on and wasn't getting on the brush when I dipped so combine that with my still rookie polishing skills and thats all I got marked for and passed.

Then we cleaned up and did some theory on Hair Structure which I still pretty much know. And then it was break time. After break it was time to watch Mrs C. show us a shampoo on K and then S did her conditioner. O and B went to the floor to do their shampoos while I got to shampoo and condition Lady R.
We were supposed to also do blow drying and irons but because my manicure had everything behind I didn't get to do mine. I started sanitation since everyone else was doing their blow dries and irons. No one shampooed me. But this was just an indtroduction thing so it wasn't supposed to be an everyone does one thing.

So that was Day 5 and the end of the first week. Which I'm not going to call the first week Back because this is new. I really am learning things I didn't learn before. I'm glad my 800 hours don't count. Starting over is right for me. Now bring on the hair. I've got 3 weeks of hair and I'm going to know some and I'm not going to know a lot. Because this time its going to be more hands on. I will get to try these other haircuts that were only explained last time. I'll be using the blow dryer and flat iron and plug in marcel iron. No stove this time. Then its on to the rehearsal class and then the floor. And more dancing.

Day 4 - July 25 - Merry Onyxmas

Day 4 - July 25 - Merry Onyxmas

Before I get to the entry I want to mention that I made a Facebook page to help me build my lientele / guest list for school since it really is a better approach to this journey than trying to learn on manikins.

Robert Siwicki - Cosmetology Student at Regency Beauty Institute

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Robert-Siwicki-Cosmetology-Student-at-Regency-Beauty-Institute/637983856212128 

This morning we reviewed theory on Nails (Onyx) and Nail Diseases & Disorders. We have the quiz on them tomorrow. We also have a Technical Rubric or practical test where we have to perform a manicure without talking.

Then came break and during break I had K take my picture in the break room with my school logo apron on to use for my FB page.
Here's the larger version

After break it was time for the second round of pedicures but since a student was absent there was an odd number of us so Mrs. C gave me my pedicure. But since the pedicure stations are not in the classroom its akward to give them so at first Mrs. C was on a sheet on the floor to do it all up to the polish. Then I suggested she try sitting in the shampoo chair while I was on the higher stool. That worked a little bit better.

I chose the Revlon Plum color but just like yesterday it wasn't working well and Mrs. C was having a hard time using it so she had to put a little extra on. She finished just as it was lunch time so I had to get up and get my new flip flops on right away. I ended up smudging a a few trying to adjust the flip flops and get onto the break room stools. Then I took the picture. Yes I'm showing my feet. If I can touch feet you can look right?

I asked if we are allowed to come in during the night time part time student's service hours and get services as a client and she said yes. So I may use that as my way to get my pedicures kept up when I'm not trying it myself. Along with other things I could do to help other students get some credits.

After lunch we made posters with diagrams of the nail structures and diseases and disorders. Just a fun little project.

Then we talked about guest services and how to treat them nicely etc.
We did some of the state law book review
Then we tried to play Hollywood Squares with questions about nails but its a computer version and for some reason no matter what character Mrs. C clicked on it would give the same question so we didn't quite get to see all of them. But we got a few answered.

Mrs. C really cares and is doing her best to help us. I've had a few days now to get used to her style and its funny but one of the Expectations of the Instructor that I came up with the other day was Learn With Us. She is. She's great at adapting to us. Its a bit easier right now with only 6 in the room. My group is just grooving along. We got the music going and we're just moving along.

I do need to study a bit for this quiz. Its a multiple choice 20 question quiz which I should be able to pass. But there's a bunch of Diseases & Disorders that start with Ony that I need to get straight in my head. If it were fill in the blank I'd fail. So that's my agenda for tonight.

Tomorrow is the quiz, the rubric, and we will go over shampooing and shampoo each other a bit. Then the next 2 weeks are haircutting starting Monday.

Hairstyle today: No picture but I did a 2 banded tail and put my gray scrunchie at the top over the first band. But during lunch I undid it and then braided my tail and put the second band at the pull over shoulder point because I thought it was clock in time. But it wasn't so I left it there and continued the braid and then put the scrunchie on the end.

July 24, Day 3 - They really are just feet not a pair of fins.

Today we continued with nails.

First we went over some of the theory again because Mrs. C was out of the room for her conference call yesterday and wanted to make sure we knew it.

Then we all did and recieved manicures again to get some more practice with them. Today I did lady classmate B' s nails and then she did mine. We had a couple colors to choose from so I went with pink. But they were tiny bottles so B was having trouble with the smoother one so she also used some of the glittery one.

We also did Pariffin wax dips so when my hands got dipped it looked like I had pink frosted donuts covered in white glaze. That stuff feels nice.

I also got to do the hand massage on B today.

Then after lunch we got into Pedicures.
I was going to have mine done first but S said he wanted his done today so I let him go first. So I gave a pedicure and a foot massage to another man for my first ever of either. I didn't do a pedicure at my old school. Its not on the state board and that school didn't offer them to clients.
I also Pariffin waxed his feet thus my pun above in the title "They really are just feet not a pair of fins."
And Mrs. C acknowledged me enthusiastically for being the first to finish the pedicure and massage. That included massaging his right foot twice because halfway I stopped and asked for clarification on one of the massage techniques and Mrs. C walked me through it and then I redid that foot and then the left.

We went over theory on nail disorders and diseases. at the end.

Also earlier in the day we went through a flip book of 8 quotes she had written about personal responsibility. We each picked the one that we felt best described what we felt and gave about a minute speech about which one we picked. I chose the one that best described how I was feeling yesterday since I'd been pretty much doing them already for the past 2 months on FB.
It all comes down to me knowing that I've got to not blame the past anymore. I am the one who sat in that chair not doing my work and I'm the one who stayed home and procrastinated that school into the past. But I'm taking the responsibility for that and whatever comes from now on. I'm done with blaming others or blaming places. That's the purge for today.

So with that being said, I get my pedicure tomorrow and I plan to get polish and there will be a picture on here of my feet with polish. I hope ;)

Day 3 was awesome. I had no problems at all reaching down there and doing my best to treat S like he was a long time guest and just following the procedure. You're just washing and rubbing some feet. If they don't have a disorder that prevents you from doing the service its nothing to be afraid of.

Today's hairstyle
I started with 6 checkered laces split into 3 pairs and I mixed them into the 3 strands of a regular braid. It didn't quite come out like I had hoped because of the restart halfway down but I just coiled it into a bun and bobby pinned it and off I went. I wore a black shirt with black pants today so my hair and shoes were the only white I had today. But I'm getting more comfy with the pins.

Man-icuring - Day 2 of Cosmetology School

Man-icuring - Day 2 of Cosmetology School

I wanted to do a braid today but I wanted to use shoe laces or string with it and I didn't have any white ones so I went with just a PurpleBubba tail with bands on it except I used 5 bands alternating black and white. The picture will be at the end of this entry.

It was raining this morning but since our school is in the corner of the shopping center its right next to an opening that leads to the rear of that corner of the L where we can park. So I had less distance to walk in the rain as opposed to the front of the center.

Today was nail and manicuring day. Which I was happy about since my nail art from yesterday was already ruined. Plus its kinda neat having it right away since I've been so into it lately. We did some theory (book work) and then had our break.

After break Mrs. L the Performance Floor instructor came in to go over some of the info to expect for being out there. This is where some of my old doubts tried to creep in again. She was talking about how we need to build a clientele now and get friends and family to come in and hand out cards to everyone. We do have lots of clients for our school but the thing is we have to do X amount of different practical services before we graduate and if like the old school all the clients are coming in for the same 3 things everytime it makes it hard to finish those other things. But this is the difference. I can have a clientele that comes in and gets what I need to do. I just have to ask for help and do the leg work and stop being so shy approaching strangers. I'm getting better with this but the thought of giving everyone a card right now was trying to get to me. But its a tool. And unlike last time I have other tools. And I'm going to have to ask for help. I posted this to my Facebook when I got home and focused, "Robert, you got this. You got this this time. Its going to take some work on your part but you have the tools now. You know you want it. Take the chances. Trust it will work."

I do have tools now. I can make pages and websites and I can make flyers and just go with it. I have to do it anyway later so I might as well try it earlier than I thought. I just have to sell myself. I know what I can do already.

So back to the class: Mrs L finished and we got started on actually doing manicures. The 4 ladies paired off and then the two of us Men did each other's "Man"icures. I did S's manicure first all the way to just before the polish. Then we stopped for lunch and after Mrs C showed us the hand and arm massage. S did mine and then finished my manicure with the OPI Big Apple Red polish because its easier to see where you did it right or wrong with red. Then S let B do his paint so Mrs. C had me paint her nails which was good for me because she was able to stop me as I was going along to correct me on my techniques which I need. I learn by doing and being corrected as I go. We finished the manicuring and then did more theory on nails and Mrs C had to go do a conference call so Mrs J or G name sat with us while we went over the workbook. Then Mrs C came back and we finished up the day. Tomorrow we get into pedicures.

The biggest thing I did today was loosen up a bit with her help. I was being a bit too careful with manicuring S and trying not to hurt him. Then I got going. And then later on she helped me relax again while painting hers. At the end she told me to stop worrying about whether I know things from before because to her I'm new. And that's when I remembered that this is why I wanted to start over. To learn from scratch.

After school I stopped at the store to get flip flops for the pedicure and while I was there I got 2 black shirts to go with the 3 whites I bought. I want to be able to change things up so it doesn't look like I'm wearing the same shirt everyday even though I have 3 of the same white. I also got white laces, black laces, and some checkered finish line style laces so I can play around now with braiding them into my hair or making things with them to use. Even just tying one like a bow / tied shoe.

Here is my "Zebra Tail and my red nails by S"

July 22nd 2013 - I am a Cosmetology Student - Day 1

I am home from my first day of Regency Beauty Institue - Lakeside, MI campus, north of Detroit.

If some of you have read this blog you will see that I did blog / journal when I attended Virginia Farrell in 2000-01. This time will be no different. Except I'm going to finish this blog the good way.

So lets go about this like it happened.

I arrived just before 9 am and I and 3 others were in the lobby waiting for Mrs. S to finish what she was doing to come get us for orientation. She briefly came out and checked if we were all there and did roll call. After she finished calling the names I got over my usual jitters and looked at them and said "Hi, I'm Robert" and they replied with their names. There are 2 F and 1 M besides me for my month's class. For now until I find out the protocol I'm going to stick with Initials or abbreviated names if needed. There's O & K for the ladies and S for the Man.

Mrs. S took us to the office to go through the handbooks and little videos and such and clocking procedures etc. And we took turns telling our stories and goals. I went last and I warned them ahead of time that I was trying to keep it short and it took a few minutes but I got it told.  This pretty much got us to 11:30 for our first lunch. This is where the fun happened. I asked Mrs. S if students could drink the coffee and she said its meant for the clients but I could go ahead and help myself. Apparently not as well as I needed to. I went over to the machine and I couldn't figure out what i was supposed to do. It looked like a normal coffee maker with a basket but it was tall and had mothing to catch the coffee. I pushed the button and put a cup under it and it slowly filled the cup. Well it didn't stop and overflowed and I tried hitting the buttons to stop it but it took a second to stop. But Student F from the performance floor (salon area) jumped right in to help me out and clean it up. And Mrs. S said something about "See you're helping each other already" or something positive like that. and she asked Student F if she had introduced herself to me and that's when I found out she was F. After we got it cleaned up enough F told me she'd finish up so I thanked her and I went with my coffee to the break room. A little while later some other students besides my group came in and this time I didn't hesitate to introduce myself first. And I met lady students B and R that turned out to be in the Workshop class with us in the afternoon and I met a few other ladies too, I remember E and the other might have been A.

After lunch we clocked in officially since the orientation shouldn't count against our learning time and we opened our kits in the classroom. Mrs. C my instructor helped me with my checklist. As I was pulling items out of the boxes she was checking them off. We got that finished, did classroom intros where I told an even shorter version of my story. Now there were 7 of us in the room including Mrs. C and 4 had already heard it. So B and R got to hear some of it.

And then came the first lesson. We studied theory on Infections. If you haven't been to cosmetology school one thing you need to know is that you will learn anatomy and sanitation, and diseases. Because you have to be able to work safely, spot potential health problems on a client, and you deal with the possibility of a client or you being cut. So you have to know your stuff and be safe with it.

Tomorrow we are studying nails. The curriculums in Cosmetology Schools go on a rotating basis so they can have students enroll each month. So when the people joined last month they may have have had haircutting their first week whereas I'm on the nail week. But it works out so that during my first few weeks I will roll back around to the other stuff right before nails comes up again. It was the same way at my old school.

Then we ended the day doing our sanitation and I was assigned to wipe the tables and chairs.

Mrs C told us what we would need for tomorrows class so I left that stuff in my locker. And took the rest of my large kit bag and box of manikins to my car. On my way out I was holding the door open for 2 adults and a baby and I said "Welcome to Regency"
I put my supplies in the car and then realized I hadn't clocked out so I went back in, passed by Mrs. S and said "I probably should clock out" :)

So that was it for day 1, now I'm home. Here is what I wore for my new "No Fear" life.

I wore my hair in a sock bun with my pearly scrunchie that I got years ago with a braiding book

I wore my first ever attempted nail art
Left hand is:
Right hand is:

I had a white polo shirt and black pants and these are my shoes with braided black and white laces that I wrapped the ends around to make them into a bow shape.

Today is where your blog begins, the rest is still unwritten

Time to go begin.

http://youtu.be/jloQ6xsx3bE

Monday. Its so close.

Monday. Its so close. 3 days and 22 hours from now I'll be about to walk out the door and get in my car. 4 days from now I'll have been there over an hour.

Its not just starting school. Its everything. The unkown. But the looking forward to the unkown. There is no ready or not. I don't think I could be any more ready.

I'm sitting here with my purple and green nails and my french braid I slept on and I'm just ready. I'm ready to become a Cosmetologist. That's a word that doesn't make many appearances these days. I used to not think much about it. I used to want to go to school so I could trim my friends hair and post on forums. I was afraid of the rest. I was afraid of doing roller sets. The smell of perms when walking past a salon in a Sears or JCP made me think twice. The same was true of walking by a nail salon in a mall and smelling the glue that smelled as bad as the stuff I had to put up with for 5 years of braces. I'm still scared I won't figure out how to do color. I understood what I was taught but it was only the basics. I know I can do it. Its just a scary thing. No one wants to mess up color and not be able to fix it. I'm still scared of things that involve glue. But I'm looking forward to getting over that this time. I have manikins to practise eyelashes on. I can practice all sorts of nails on my practice manikin hands.

I just want to embrace it all. I'm going to learn these things in a very nice place. I'm going to accept it for the gift that it is and I'm going to open it up to enjoy. And I'll play with the box too. And the bows.

10 Days left

Today I found out that I qualify for enough in student aid grants and loans that I can get through school without having to pay my own way. I can save up that money to repay the loans instead. It will be loans at the new 6.8% but I'm not going to worry about it. This is the path I need to be on. Either I go to school and fight for my dreams or I don't know what else to do. There are other dreams that I could do and still would like to combine into this one. But one thing these past few weeks has told me is that I have the passion to do this and it never went away. And its stronger and I want it. I want all of it. I don't just want to care for hair I want to be a cosmetologist. I want to help with makeup or nails or anything someone trusts me to do for them. Care and trust are what I'm after. I know you can't please everyone. But from now on if I don't please someone it will be something that I have a chance to correct or make up for.

So I've got a list of school supplies I have to go get. Its just like regular school. I need pens, pencils etc

I haven't been posting much about what I've been doing to practice. I've been putting that on Facebook. But this is what I've done in the past few weeks:
6 shampoo practicals, 2 cuts, 7 heads of braids, a bun, a blow dry. Some nail work on myself. And I braided my own hair.  And 2 rollers sets and combouts. And a bit of fingerwaving ~~~~~~~~~~

13 days away.

13 days away.
These past 2 months have been far from perfect. I've had awesome days. I've had some blowups. Some of the days and places that mean the most to me are going to be just memories. Important memories. Important lessons. For better or worse, selfish or unselfish. I believe with all of my heart that its putting me on the right path at the right time. What I didn't realize was how much I really missed school. Last time I was so worried about my shyness issues and trying to get my speed up and falling behind on manikin practicals that I forgot the more important things. I can almost see those clients plain as day in my mind. I can't make out their faces but I can remember them. As much as I complain about the chairs having rusty old screws to raise the chairs I loved being the one to go get my WD40 to fix them. I loved being the one to get my needle nose to unclog the drains. I took pride in mopping the huge puddles. I can still feel that runny watered down shampoo in my hands. I miss sitting there eating those PB & J's from home while everyone else was eating restaurant food. I just had a taste of it again to remind me of combing out these roller sets. I don't know what way they're supposed to go. But you can just play with them and make something out of it. I miss sitting in that blue chair wondering when my next turn for a client was. I miss checking on the clients. As much as I never wanted to smell it I miss the sulfur smell of the perm eating away the hard bonds in the hair. I really missed the feel of the comb in my hand and not wanting to put it down. I miss carrying and dragging all that equipment from my car to that station and getting it all set up. And then having a system to get it back in there at the end of the day. I just need to remember the reasons I am doing this. I'm not trying to prove anything. I'm not doing this out of regret. I'm not doing this to stick it to the enemy.

I am doing this because its what will allow me to have a home and allow people into that home and treat them as family. To let them make themselves at home. To take care of them and let them take care of each other. Those couple of salon chairs or nail tables are just a room in the whole house. Its not about what kind of business I want. Its about the kind of home I want to share.

Pondering Practical Practice

I'm sitting here thinking about my open mindedness towards the future and all the possibilities I'm not shutting out this time. But I'm also realising that with these 2 weeks to go till I start that while there are some things I need to practice to get back in the habit, The reality is I knew my stuff back then. Had I not fallen behind because of using up my hours so fast I'd have been just fine. I've got my notebook showing me how many clients I had and what I did. I lacked confidence which kept my speed down. But when it came to procedures and results I was getting the job done.

Lets see

Wet sets - 27
Tints or colors - 7
Perms - 4 perms - would have been 5 but one lady went home sick after her cut.
Manicure on a school client - 1

One day I had 2 clients named Virginia at a school named Virginia Farrell. One was a set the other a press and curl.

I made $62.50 in tips at about $1 at a time. I have 40 clients written down, only a couple were returns because the clients are randomly given out even if you have a family member come in at that school at the time..

 Also every client in that school has to be shampooed so I shampooed most of them except for the ones I took over in the middle of when the high schoolers had to leave.

What I meant to say was even if something comes up and I don't get this practice in with the manikins I'll be ready. I won't be scared. I know I've got the desire and the patience. The speed will come without the fear. I'm just ready this time. And if I hit a speedbump I'll have myself setup to practise here at home. I've got manikins to use. I will get a pressing comb if I don't get it in the kit. Sally Beauty has them.
 

I'm a Painter after all, just not walls

I decided to go ahead and remove my salon made fancy nails myself and give my own nail art a try. Last night I went to war to get the fancy gel ones off. Took me 8 oz of pure acetone and a ton of sanding and filing but I got them off, or at least down to my nail.
I mentioned in the previous entry that I plan to do a Purple Heart Flower design. I bought fake tips to glue on and some colors for it at Sally. Sally Beauty Supply is right next to my cosmetology school and the lady there Jackie remembered me by name :)

So here are the polishes I bought, the picture of my fancy nails from 7 / 4 that I had made 6 / 11. And a picture of my first try at painting my own nails on the left hand. I might have used a dollar store purple years ago but I don't remember for sure if I painted mine with it.

My new Finger Paints to do my design. Some little leafs I might try. And my brushes with a nice floral design on them.

Finger Print brand Colors:
Tiffany Imposter (Light blue)
Sketch N Etch (Dark Green)
Silkscreen Green (Light Green)
Vintage Violet (Darker)
Lavender Highlight (Lighter)
My Art Belongs To You (Darker)
Pink Patina (Lighter)

   

 

July 5 2013. First self painted nails, left hand. I had to do a few wipe and start overs but I'm happy with this for now until I get my supplies restocked. I was using brush cleaner to fix the mistakes because I used the whole 8 oz pure acetone to get my fancy gels off. I'm holding the Tiffany Imposter blue because that's my backgroun color for my Heart flowers. I don't have the My Art Belongs to You pink in that one but each finger is a different one.

The Right hand painted by my left hand. Looks like I figured out which side of the brush I'm supposed to use. This hand has the My Art Belongs To You pink instead of Pink Petunia. I've got a green thumb and a pink pinky and a purple pointer. And a regal ring.

I'm not going to behind a chair, I'm going to be behind the client and on their side

I'm not going to behind a chair, I'm going to be behind the client and on their side

If a client enters the doorway of a salon I am in they own their hair not me. If they have a bad dye job, bad cut, botched self cutting or color, 2 strands of hair,it does not matter what my opinion of that is. It is my job to accept that they are putting their trust in me to care for them now. It is my job to consult with them about what they want done. It is my job to do what they ask to the best of my ability or respectfully help them try something that may work better. I do not get to bash the other stylist for the botched job. I do not get to berate or belittle the client for trying something on themself. Even if they changed something I gave them. Its their hair. Not mine. I don't own my clientele. And I will do what it takes to help them. I will help them learn to style their hair. I will teach them to maintain it if they want to. Who am I to tell a client they cannot cut or color their own hair? Can I give the advice on why not to? Sure. I can also help them do it right. Maybe I don't know everything or anything yet. Maybe I'm not the other definition of Industry Professional. But I know that what I will do will matter. I'm going to specialize in trust. Two way trust. And care.