Teppy, I feel your pain. I was like, Mandy Moore in 'How to Deal' short last February, have cut it three times this year, and it's long again. I couldn't maintain the short haircut without going broke.

My hair also grows just about as fast as kudzu. (I exaggerate. Kudzu can grow a foot a day. It just seems as fast as kudzu.) At least bad haircuts never particularly bothered me, because I knew they'd grow out in a month or so.

I can just barely get away with 6 weeks, but that's because I have a style that looks okay longer. More than 6 weeks though, and the roots become saplings.

I'm pretty happy with my current hair style. It's a slighly funkified bob, short in the back, that grows out really well. Since it's laser straight, I'm glad to finally find a style that doesn't require stuff to happen to it. 'Cause I'm so not up for dealing with stuff in the morning.

On the other hand, I've decided to start dealing with lipstick in the am, since I've figured that having people, specifically men, look at my lips is a good thing when I'm trying to get lucky. Aside from making sure it doesn't clash horribly with my clothes and skin tones, is there anything I need to look out for? Are there actual lipstick fashions of which I need to be aware?

I hate it when my femme-impairment shows.

I couldn't maintain the short haircut without going broke.

This is why I schlep to the suburbs of CT for hair cuts. The way my Erica cuts grow in is a sight to behold. It's like I have 3 different cuts, each at various stages of growing in. Until that one day, 5 months down the road, when I wake up and the hair is on strike; the demands are simple and few: Get. Hair. Cut. Now.

The hair will look like total crap until the demands are met.

Nora, it sounds like you've got one of the good ones. I haven't had a regular person for years now.

I'm dreading going back to work tommorrow. Like, It's always in the back of my mind, makes my stomach twitch please don't make me please don't make me dreading it. That's not cool.

And also, Holy shit! Kudzu can grow a foot a day?? This demon plant will devour us all!

Dives under couch.

Fortunately for you, Lilty, you live far enough north to avoid the scourge of kudzu, which, in its proper place, is a pretty plant with flowers that smell just like artificial grape flavoring. It's certainly easy to grow. The usual instructions are to plant it, cover it with a concrete block, and fertilize it with used motor oil.

And also, Holy shit! Kudzu can grow a foot a day?? This demon plant will devour us all!

That's like our geraniums. The scented one is scary. I should prune it but it uses, like, mind control on me to dissuade me.

It's always in the back of my mind, makes my stomach twitch please don't make me please don't make me dreading it.

That is bad. Time for a new job, lady!

Lilty, it's true that when your job gets to your stomach, it's time to shine up your resume.

I know. I just haven't been there that long, and I will feel like a quitter and a failure, and I think it might be a black mark on the resume. At the very least, any management experience I claim to have will likely be nullified by the brevity of the stint. But I feel like I'm shaking inside all the time, and the thought of walking away fills me with joy. (Then fear because, you know, no money.)