Rock Your Uniqueness: Life Is Too Short to Be Boring

In keeping with my recent groove, today I challenge you to color your hair! I don’t mean to “wash out the grays” or lighten or darken your natural hair color. I’m thinking more along the lines of off-the-wall colors like pink, purple, blue, and even brilliant red! Now, you may find yourself asking if I’ve lost my mind or what brought this topic to the forefront of my mind, so let me see if I can explain.

First, I read a comment on someone’s post where a man said he wished that people with vibrant hair colors could see how ridiculous they look to the rest of the world, and that it is an outward sign of stupidity and a lack of education. Well, since I currently am rocking my göt2b Metallic Blue Mercury color, I will admit that this hit a little bit too close to home. I responded to his comment and said that I wished that people who had nothing intelligent to say would keep their antiquated opinions to themselves, but that the same Constitution that allows them to make asshole comments is the same one that allows me to rock my blue hair! I also told him that since I spent 20 years in the Navy defending that right, I will rock any damned hair color I pleased. Of course, others jumped on him pretty bad too, and he ended up deleting his original comment.

Then, the next day, I saw a feature that was a list of things women should stop doing after we turn 50. It also mentioned dyeing our hair vibrant colors, saying that this trend should be left to the young. The reasoning went on to explain that not only is it not an age-appropriate look for us, it will wash us out and make us look older. I’m throwing the bullshit flag on that one. I certainly don’t look almost 53.

Back when I was a teenager, I remember a Rolling Stone article about nightlife in L.A. and there was a picture of a girl with electric blue hair. I wanted that hair so badly! For almost 40 years, I wanted blue hair. Alas, I couldn’t have blue hair when I was in the Navy. It was prohibited. I even had difficulty when I dyed my hair platinum blonde because although it was a natural color, it wasn’t MY natural color.

Once I retired from the Navy, it was time for me to “grow up” and get a real job, so it seemed as though I would never get to have blue hair, especially after I moved to the most conservative place on Earth. My desire to eat overruled my desire for blue hair. Finally, I landed a job with a pretty liberal European company. Even though I was a salaried manager, there were no standards for hair color. I went blue as quickly as I possibly could! I LOVED IT and wore it proudly for about six months before I got a more forward-facing job and figured I probably needed to go back to a natural color.

After Grubby died, I decided to simplify, and I went the Sinead O’Connor route and buzzed it almost all the way down. Unfortunately, I never looked as good as Sinead O’Connor did, so eventually, I grew it out a little and went for the blue again! I still LOVE my blue hair! Personally, I don’t give a rat’s ass what anyone else thinks about it because it’s not on their head.

So, go forth, color your hair any color you choose! Forget what society or magazine articles say we should wear or not wear, or do or not do. I couldn’t be happier with my color, and I think it takes years off of my often-overtired face! I’m going to be me – the me I want to be, not the me someone else thinks I should be. When I am me, I am happier, and when I am happy, my skin radiates youth! And, yes, someday, I am going to rock some hipster jeans again too! Maybe when I’m over 60!!!