up the cuts

A few weeks ago, Gilberto and I went to Zurich for web training. Our organization's soon to be new website was developed by a company in Zurich and the day was to be spent learning the ins and outs of the content management system they had set up.

Firstly, I think it is highly important to mention how much of a complete and utter nerd I am. I was ecstatic about working on the new website. Partly because I am sick and tired and frustrated with our current system, which is beyond out of date, beyond tedious, and beyond slow. And partly because I knew the CMS they were using - generally - and really wanted to see all it could do. I was impressed by it to say the least; everything is integrated and works wonderfully (with the exception of a few bugs and plugins to be complete). For a webmaster, it certainly makes my job easier to be using such a powerful CMS. Anyways, enough computer crap.

As mentioned, Gilberto and I spent the day in Zurich for training. However, since we have the Voie 7, once training finished, we couldn't go home for about 2 and a half hours - at least not without spending 40 francs, that is. We had somewhat decided that we should spend that time getting my hair cut in the city as there was a really cool salon that had opened the last time we were in Zurich. We wandered around for a bit, finally deciding (or finally being convinced by Gilberto's enthusiasm) that I was going to go through with some crazy new age mullet that was Tegan Quin (see twin on left) meets Gilberto Lontro hair design.

Upon entering the amazingly cool salon (large Zebra print arm chairs, all I'm gonna say) we were greeted by an uber cool hairdresser - who spoke a lot more German than she spoke English. We told her I wanted my hair cut, she said ok. We told her we wanted to explain it first. She asked if we wanted to see the book - and considering how we wanted it done, we immediately refused and launched into an explanation. It went like this:

DANA: uh, ok, this side (pointing to side of my head) - to be short, like this (pointing to Gilberto's head). And the bangs (pointing to bangs) the same - long, like this
HD: (agreement)
GILBERTO: This side (pointing to other side) long, with this piece (holding piece of my hair that frames my face) really long and this one (other piece on other side) long too but shorter than this one. One should be long and one should be short
DANA: the back should be really long. keep the back really long.
GILBERTO: On this side, short near the ear, but then it comes back long. so it goes up short, then comes back down long.
DANA: The back needs to be long.
GILBERTO: the top short
DANA: but the bangs long
GILBERTO: and the back, at the top, really short
DANA: But the back should be long. just short on top, but long at the back.

After a few more moments of us grabbing at pieces of my hair and explaining them, all while our hairdresser looking at us somewhat dumbfounded the entire time, she agreed and led me to the back to wash my hair. I was nervous a bit at first when she took out the razor blade and made her first swipe - somewhat laughing at me. Gilberto was loving it and seemed incredibly excited by the prospect of me having this ridiculous hair style. It was strange being nervous by the hair cut as I've never been upset or worried about cutting my hair before. So that was a new experience.

Now, I suppose Gilberto and I weren't all that clear with our instructions. Each time she went to cut a piece of hair she asked, or clarified what I wanted. 'this side, short, like him?' - I would reply yes. However, it eventually got to the point when she would ask and I would be like 'uh yeah ok' and she would turn to Gilberto and ask him. He would say yes or explain what he thought should be done, and away she would go hacking at my hair while I just sat in the chair. I think she stopped asking me, and would just turn to Gilberto like he was my personal stylist or boyfriend or owner to make sure he liked what she was doing to my head. At one point, while working on my side piece, she told me she was going to make my hair taller. Language barriers are kind of fun sometimes. I had no clue what she meant by that - making my hair taller - it could have meant shorter or thinner or she could have decided to give me a mohawk - but she was so certain that she had gotten the word the correct that I didn't have the heart to tell her that I had no idea what making my hair taller meant. So I said 'yeah ok, great'. I think she just thinned the piece out.

At the end of it, I was pretty estactic. I finally had the mullet I always wanted. And at the end of it, Gilberto was equally excited. I finally had the mullet he always wanted. Actually Gilberto was excited throughout the whole thing and documented the hair cut on his iphone. Cue photo blog.