Last Blog About Hair, I Hope

Well, apparently I am way more computer savvy than I give myself credit for. (not really) I was able to get the internet access back up and running. Apparently the router wasn't fried... at least not completely. My VOIP business phone lines still aren't working though. After he spent two hours on the phone with me, a very nice Customer Service Rep from Vonage, named Anthony (the patron saint for lost causes, by the way), finally acknowledged that my situation had him totally stumped and that he was putting a new router in the mail to me. It is a proven fact. I have that effect on computers and all things related. Mother Nature may have contributed this time though with the lightning. St. Anthony wasn't sure about that.

So now I can blog again, and I will pick up where I left off. I graduated from Phase II Academy on Friday and am now certified to coach people to achieve their dreams of owning their own businesses. Right before the graduation ceremony, Max, my classmate, (the big gruff old teddy bear of a guy) handed out baseball caps to the class that had been purchased by the corporate office of The Entrepreneur Source (TES) upon his suggestion. Ours was the 46th class to go through the Academy, so the front of the caps said "46 Rocks." On the side of each cap, embroidered in pink letters, were my initials MBG. I was so touched, it brought tears to my eyes. Much hugging and kissing commenced. It was a special end to the whole TES training experience which began several months ago under very different circumstances for me. Three months ago when I entered Phase I training and first embarked upon this new business venture, life was good, and I worried about everything. Now life is still good, and I worry about almost nothing.

I spent the night with my friend Ann and her family in Hartford. I was a little nervous about exposing Ann's children (Seth, three, and Brianna, five) to my look, especially since they had seen me on Sunday when I was still sporting my usual over abundance of hair. Ann assured me that it was fine. We made a game of it though. The hats and wigs came out, and we all tried them on. Even Ann's husband, Brett, tried on a wig. Brianna, who I believe was coached a little by Ann, told me that my new hairstyle was beautiful. Even if she was coached, her sweet little face and beaming, precious smile conveyed the truth. I am beautiful to her because she loves me for me. The hair is MY issue, I know. I really didn't anticipate that it would be such a big issue for me. In a way, I derive more of my identity from my hair than I do my breasts... Well, we won't go there, and it's probably good for a few sessions on psychotherapists' couch if I were so inclined, but instead, I will just get over it. Actually, as each day passes, I do become less self-conscious about it.

I drove home Saturday. It took about ten hours, but I enjoyed the drive. I caught up on phone calls to friends and family. I think I broke the law in New Jersey because I didn't have an ear piece for my cell phone, but I felt like I had company along for most of the trip. I was very happy to see the Bo and the boys after being gone for a week, and it was a great feeling to put the suitcase away and know that I will not have to do any business travel again until next year.

Okay, I know I said I was getting over the hair thing, but you do want to know what the boys thought when they first saw me, right? Of course you know what Bo said. He told me I was beautiful and sexier than ever. Luke, our dog, displayed his usual affectionate greeting, whimpering and wagging his tail so much his whole body shakes. Cole looked the other way and asked me to go put on one of the wigs. Lance just kind of stared. Later he told me that he didn't like my hair, and on another occasion, he wouldn't stop crying until I put my hat back on my head (he needed a nap). Clay told me that I looked great. Since then, we explained to Cole that it is a good thing my hair is falling out because it means the medicine is working. He was playing with his gameboy at the time, but we saw signs that made us think the message got through anyway. Lance still doesn't like it, but he doesn't cry any more.

I have been walking around the house without a hat or wig, and we are all getting used to it together. I will be glad when my hair is completely gone because I just shed everywhere. Charity, my classmate, and I looked like chimpanzees last week during training, as she groomed me by pulling loose hair off of my clothes. Yesterday when I got in the shower, I told Clay I was trying to get some more of the loose hair to come out. Clay announced to Bo, "Mom's getting balder." The image that comes to my mind when stepping out of the shower is of earlier times, as in the neantherdal period. Wet hair is plastered everywhere! Luke and I had an ongoing competition for years over who shed more. Cole proclaimed me the victor this week. We've declared a truce for the next several months, but I will be ready to compete again soon.

So, there you have it. I promise I have come to the end of my hair tales, unless something really noteworthy occurs and I am compelled to share it.