crucible of ennui

Remember the art show I went to back in December? Well the bracelet is finished! And I totally LOVE IT!!! It’s everything I wanted. The artist, Cindy Bolin did a fabulous job. The more I wear it, the more I love it.

I love jewelry. My mom, Diane, loved jewelry too. I used to love to comb through her jewelry boxes when I was young and try everything on. I’d stack bracelets on my wrists and rings on every finger of both hands. I only had 1 set of earring holes at that point, so I compensated with clip on earrings up the side of my ears. My neck would swim with pearls, gold and silver chains and beads of every color.

I’ve always wanted a charm bracelet. But I wanted it to be special and unique. Something I could pass onto my own daughter, if given the chance. When I first saw Cindy at an art show, I was immediately draw to her style of jewelry. Everything is handmade and totally fulfilled that funky look I was craving. She has all kinds of neat earrings and bracelets - both charm and cuff styles. One of her most stunning pieces is this really beautiful mermaid ring done in silver, brass and copper.

For my bracelet - I started with 3 charms. There’s room for 4-5 more. Cindy designed and then crafted a representation of myself which turned out beautiful! I also wanted a charm for Catherine - so she created a cat’s head with one peridot eye (since Cat was born in May). For Glenn, she did a heart with wings, within a heart. I LOVE CINDY BOLIN!!!

I already know what I want for my next charm. My favorite, most bestest holiday is Halloween. Since I was born and raised in Southern California and am a 1/4 Mexican - I want her to design a sugar skull in silver with bright pink gemstone eyes.

Apparently it’s Alopecia Areata.

The doctor gave me a topical cream to help regrow the hair. (The only thing that would be better than a topical cream would be a contemporary salve. And then a news-worthy ointment… say ointment 5 times fast).

He said that if the topical cream didn’t work - there were steroid shots that should probably work. I don’t know about you… but I don’t think I’ll be lettin’ someone poke a needle in my scalp anytime soon. I may just have to change my nickname to Patches if it doesn’t grow back. There’s also the chance that it could get bigger and I lose more hair. Like I said before, if that happens, I’ll shave my head and wear a cool gypsy silk turban with some funky, jingly hoop earrings. Mecca lecca hi, mecca hiney ho!

Glenn said he would be freaked out if I got eyes tattooed on the back of my head. He said that even if the hair grew back he’d know those eyes were there and it would be creepy. And heaven knows I don’t want to psychologically scar the man.

I don’t think it’s a big deal. But I think a lot of people do. I was ordering lunch and bent over to look in my purse and the lady behind the register gasped. Like a really LOUD Bugs Bunny “GAAAAASSSSSP!!!!” kinda gasp. Like she’s never seen a woman with a little bald patch.

I also told my boss what’s going on and we both admitted a morbid fascination with the whole circumstance. There’s a perverse side of me that is super curious to know what I’d look like without hair. Do I think I have enough confidence to pull off that look? Hell yeah I do. (Disclaimer: The previous sentence is not a challenge to the powers that be to strike me with total baldness tomorrow. Please.)

The only bad news from the doctor was high blood pressure. I asked him if maybe it was high because of, hmmm… maybe… my hair falling out?!?!?

For the next two weeks I need to gather data and send it over to him and then make a follow-up appointment. In the mean time - No salt; I have to lose weight; I need to exercise; And finally no hooch of any kind.

Crap. And I was going to give up idiots for Lent.