From "Me" to "Mandy": Nails and hand-me-downs...

Not much new to report...it's been very quiet gender-wise around here. The biggest excitement was getting my nails done...but at a new salon.

I've needed a fill for a long time - it's been well over a month and a half since my last visit to my regular salon. My tech started a new salon "too far" away, and was only going to be back at the old one on some Mondays. Every time I went by to see if the remaining techs could do them, either they were bustling with multiple techs and customers, or there was only one tech and she was busy with one or two waiting customers. They never have been good about holding appointments. So I kept waiting, while my nails kept on growing.   I didn't take a picture or measure them, but they may have rivaled previous length records! Back in the day (read 1980's) I used to do my own nails (acrylic & gel, with grinder and UV dryer.) As I got older I lost my touch and gave up, letting the girls do them for me. So I disposed of everything but the grinder, which I still own.

Since those do-it-yourself days are long gone, if for some reason I end up going too long between fills, I'll grind the rough edges down as they grow out, and then polish my nails with clear. They look tolerable, but it it really is an incentive to get them done. I realized that I had done that twice since my last fill.   So, it was time, wherever I could get a fill.

Checked my regular salon...busy again. Salon loyalty just went out the window! So I checked another - they were also busy. Fortunately I looked in the window of that one, before opening the door. I've never seen so many women being worked on - as well as waiting - at once - and the inside was very "open." I had no makeup on, didn't feel particularly girly, and was definitely presenting as androgynous - stirrup pants, tunic and flats, with a purse. I had no doubt that there would have been 20 pairs of eyes - if not more - very interested in the "cross dresser"in their midst, and staring at me as I walked in. Idle eyes never have anything better to do than look at the the next customer! And since I would have had to wait amongst them, their close examination would go on and on, the entire time. Dressing as I do, I certainly don't mind being seen in public, casually examined, or even "clocked" by some, but I'm not quite ready for that much concentrated exposure, especially in "ultra-conservative" territory. I walked on...

So I drove up in front of a little shop in my own town, with about 3 or 4 techs, and before going in, checked with my wife by phone to see if she had any objection to my going there. No problem for her. They seated me right away, and were very friendly.   Of course, a lot of the neighbor ladies go there, so eventually everyone who doesn't know already, will soon be discovering that in addition to wearing women's clothes, I get my nails done. Staff was either being very Politically Correct, or they truly identified me as female. I was treated very nicely as "one of the girls" and we even talked about housekeeping and girly things like that. (I can hold my own on that end...I actually do some of our housecleaning - like vacuuming and cleaning the wood floors.) The tech really wanted to see me in a bright red for spring. She encouraged me big time, but for obvious reasons, I had to nix that one. After some discussion and a demonstration, I had to settle for one coat of pink, and one coat of natural (clear) pink gel. (And how to say this gently? They were much less expensive than the other salon!) But I suspect next time I go back, I'll be hearing about color again.

Too bad I couldn't get any pictures of my new nails...maybe for next post.

One incidental thing happened recently, at home. I was debating what to wear one morning, and my wife handed me a pair of white slacks. "Here, put these on." So I did, and they fit reasonably well. She said they look nice and I should just wear them. So I did, all day. And the day after that. There was no problems - at stores I continued to collect occasional "Ma'am's." My flats work well with them, but they're long enough that 2" heels would probably be the perfect height. I checked the label, and they look like they're a pair of her old pants. I wonder if donations will continue. or if it's a one-time-thing? (Hand-me-downs are fine with me.) Time will tell.

Yesterday she asked when I'd be "wearing your new pants again," and I said "they're in the laundry. I'll wear them when they're clean." Her response: "I'll wash them tomorrow." So I guess I'll be wearing them again soon...anyone agree they're girly enough?