I'm a blond

I ran into a person of my past at Meijer today. (I really should write a novel detailing my experiences at the grocery store. I'll try and do that in my spare time.) It was a girl who I knew from my church growing up. We weren't in the same grade or even close to the same grade, but we knew each other. Blah Blah

As we were looking at the cold cuts, I turned and said "Hi Tabitha. It's Shanda Koeman." I've learned that when I approach people from my past it is best to just put my name out there. It saves us all possible embarrassment. "Oh hi. You're blond!"

I was taken aback. Let me share with you my hair history. I was blond from birth until about. . hmm. . .3rd grade maybe? Mom is that right? Anyway, I then grew darker and darker. I enjoyed years of perms. My hair always got lighter in the summer, then darker in the winter. Then, in college, I dyed my hair red as part of a dorm service auction. I toyed with the color red off and on, but was mostly my ugly dishwater brown. One winter day, I was at home and my dad asked if I was feeling o.k. I responded that I was. He thought I was looking a little pale. My mom replied that I always look like that. (Love you mom!) After my pale face moved to Miami to teach in 1995, I came to the conclusion that my dark hair did indeed highlight the paleness, but not in a good way. Since I was living in the Sunshine State, I decided to go blond and have been so ever since. Fifteen years of being blond--dying my roots every 6 weeks. Those roots now are changing color, but we don't discuss that. Many friends don't know me any other way. I don't really remember me any other way. I think that it why I was so startled at Tabitha's comment. Is this really me? I feel like it is. I have been toying with the idea of doing something crazy--a touch of orange in the back maybe. Of course, I tend to take something like this and analyze it. Are there habits I have that need to be broken? Are there things about me that are so ingrained that those around me don't really know the real me? Hmmmm let's just leave it with my hair. Today I'm blond. Tomorrow?