Nails – The Daily EO

The Daily EO: June 16th, 2013

After cancelling my nail appointment last Saturday to help my grandmother get to the hospital, I was looking a little ragged. I did seriously consider if I could get my nails done and then head to her place to decide what to do. But I was a good granddaughter. So, I rescheduled my appointment for today.

What is it with us humans? Why can we not stop picking at things hanging out there, leave things along, no we have to keep picking and proding and poking at stuff until our hems are hanging , mosquito bites are bleeding and your nails are all ragged.

I figured I needed a little down time after another ridiculous week. While sat waiting for my appointment, I got an email telling me that the production floor sewer had backed up and the place was flooded. Tell me what they makes you think? Well, it made me think of the place full of dirty filthy water as team members sloshed through in knee high boots with little pieces of poop floating by. Facilities is not my responsibility, no, but I work there, and honestly all I could think is “oh, god, I’m going to have to reschedule all the lines again.”

So, while I sat having my nails done, I was wondering about poop. How much, where was it, what is happening, etc. This made my hour of relaxation a little less relaxing.

The nail salon I go to is run by a person of Asian descent and most of her employees are also. For many of whom, English is a second language. So other languages swirl around. Sometimes this can make for difficult small talk. So can poop distraction.

I was pulled out of my poop thoughts by the technician saying:

“You the way?”

“Pardon?”

“YOU the Way?” (accompanied by a shaking of the front of her shirt)

Um. . . .”I’m sorry, Pardon me?”

“The Way! Lose the Way?”

Oh! “Did I lose weight!?” Well, I look sunken, sallow, stressed, and rather terrible I thought, but no, I didn’t lose weight. Maybe my head shrunk.

“You look good.”

“Well . . . um. . . .thanks. No, I don’t think so. But thanks.”

That was unexpected.

Hmmmm.

June 16th, 2013 Extra-Ordinary: I lost weight apparently (or started dressing better), and the reports of a flood were sensationalized. No poop, no dirty water. Just a little clean water up a couple of drains.

The Daily EO: March 30th, 2013

I walked from Yaletown to Gastown to get my nails done. They convinced me not to go with the plain French manicure as I always do, but instead to do something different. So I ended up with a French-like manicure with silver sparkles on it. It might be too much. I’m not sure, but I missed out on pretty sparkly nails and the like due to retardedness in all things pretty growing up. So, I am catching up I supposed. (and using the word retarded in the proper sense here – as in my progress in pretty things was retarded by lack of knowledge and confidence. But do crimping irons count? I was really into that!).

Emile walked down and joined me and we headed to South Granville to do some furniture shopping. Afterall, I am still sleeping with a mattress on a mattress on a floor. But did we buy anything? No – why? Because we are cheap now. I used to be a person who bought things when I wanted without concern – but Emile broke me. Alas.

We then walked back from South Granville to Yaletown to look at my latest favorite shop – Cross Design. Which inspired me for a new look in our living room – not new new, but new and fresh. I’m tired of our things – it’s time for a change. But yet am value conscious – see above – so could be trouble here. I am thinking greys, whites, Provençal with a splash of red? Hello, Craig’s List.

Bought berries in Yaletown and then back home to Gastown.

Dinner was with old friends – our next door neighbours when I was a kid – where we participated in a strange family tradition where our berries and cream were served before dinner. “Uncle Rod” lived next door my entire life before I went to university. He’s 81 now and a little balder and doesn’t see as well, but Uncle Rod was thrilled to see me after almost 10 years.

March 30th, 2013 Extra-Ordinary: 12+ kms, nails that sparkle in the sun and reconnection.

The Daily EO: November 10th, 2012

Ah. The Saturday of a long weekend. There is nothing that feels freer. (except being unemployed and not knowing that it IS a long weekend). And what a day here in Vancouver. Cold, but the skies were clear and the sun was shining. Perfect day to hit the streets with tea and sunglasses and walk the length of downtown. I stopped into a Starbucks – one of the hundreds – and had myself a free tea thanks to a giftcard. Yum.Now, in the interest of full disclosure. I got lost walking form Gastown to Yaletown. I did. It’s true. It’s a long story, but I was responding to emails and answering my phone etc while I was walking and not truly paying attention. And, when I attempted to get myself sorted out, I had the misfortune of using maps on my iPhone. The app thought it would be helpful to keep turning the map based on the direction I was headed, but really, all I wanted was to know which was south. As I knew how to walk that direction. So, yep, that was me, with several false starts meandering around “almost Yaletown” staring at my phone. From here on out it is using my brain to get somewhere!

Only three weeks ago, I told of my first gelish polish experience and despite my nails’ insistence continuing to grow and creating a gap it was time to go back and do it again.

I got a pedicure and a manicure. The experience of sitting in a massage chair while one technician works on your feet and someone else does your hands should not be missed by anyone. It feels. . . deserved. Expensive. Hollywood!

And as I watched, a long nail technician free hand painted my french nail polish. Free hand and quickly! I was amazed:

Oh my god! That is so sophisticated. Like Totally!!

I walked home and stopped in Pacific Center, because with these nails I truly fit in with the downtown shopping crowd. Nevermind I was wearing Sketchers and a yoga jacket. But I fixed that, spending way to much on boots (GLO-RE-US!), and getting a great deal on a rain coat that doesn’t have a hood. I bought some woman’s cord skinny pants at the The Gap, and “Ethan” who rang them through told me they were his favorite pants (he was wearing them). Hmmm. I double checked when I got out of the store. They say “women’s” on them.. . . I am so disconnected with youth these days. We used to wear the boys pants.

After a complete day of gym, nails, shopping and planning dinner with friends, I strolled home with my arms laden feeling pampered and satisfied. This must be what is it like to be on the D-List (A- Listers don’t walk, work out in the gym alone, make their own dinner plans or carry their own packages). Nor do they answer work emails while standing in the middle of The Bay. Or go to The Bay for that matter.

November 10th, 2012 Extra-Ordinary:

It must be Hollywood! Who knew there was a branch here?

The Daily EO: October 20th, 2012

When I was a little girl, my aunts and uncles would visit us in Cranbrook often. “Auntie Judi” came once a year and would take over my bedroom and I was happy to give it to her. Judi was my favorite aunt – no, that’s not quite correct – she was the one who seemed to get me and she lead the life that I thought I wanted to lead. She was single, laughed alot, had no children, travelled, and gave me attention.

What I remember most about those visits is hovering at the closed bedroom door wishing she didn’t always sleep in sooooo late and the painting of my fingernails. Mom didn’t paint her nails when I was a kid – well, at least that I remember. So when Judi came flying into town with her brightly coloured nail pots, I knew that I could be pretty and fashionable just like her. And she just seemed to ignore my pudgy fat fingers. Invariably, almost immediately upon completing my nails, I would smudge or chip them because I wasn’t a gentle or patient child.

Not much has changed in that regard – I still am restless and active. Mom passed on to me working hands and working habits. I can count the number of manicures I have ever had on one hand – pun intended – because it is pretty costly for something that last about 24 hours for me. The wish be pretty and fashionable may have been created by society views girls and women – but it is still there.

When I was a teenager, Mom started getting gel nails which had its drawbacks. First off, I did not have the income to support the maintenance cost. Well. .. I guess that is the reason because as a teenager I didn’t really care about long-term consequences like nail bed health. (and really does anyone stay up worrying about that?). But the filling requirements, the worry of infection, the damage to natural nails. . . it wasn’t something that seemed like a good idea even when I got income to pay for it.

But a brilliant person – who probably could have worked on the cure for cancer – invested gel polish. This being a cross between regular polish and fake nails. Essentially, it is nail polish that is strong and durable. It is painted on your regular nails but set with a UV light. ( I wonder how that ages your hands. . . Hmmmm)

As I explored downtown Vancouver Saturday morning, I ended up in Yaletown. That is where all the beauty bars are kept I think. And I found exactly what I was looking for – a small salon tucked into a Galleria with fading aging pictures in the window (I don’t want to pay for fancy storefronts). They could take me right now.

October 20th, 2012 Extra-Ordinary: Pretty and Fashionable. That’s me.