Thanks, Cass. I'm thinking of taking a road trip to Michigan next weekend to check things out. My cousin Aaron is there right now and I haven't seen him since his wedding in 2002. He's the one living in Corvallis, OR and I told him I'm going to come out and visit next year. Look for me, then!

The toilet tank should be able to take

Andi pointed out that the brand I got at Big Lots is available many different places...Like Wal-Mart. It's called "The Works." [link]

I didn't remember it was that brand, because the new lable doesn't look like the one on the website, which I remember.

~ma to Sail's aunt.

I just remembered that I have been sending ~ma to JenP, and not saying anything. So, ~ma to you, JenP.

Hive-mind appeal: I'm wanting to both chop my long tresses, and color my hair. I've decided on the color: Loreal Excellence Deep Burgundy. I've had it before and rather like the drama, as well as the nifty auburn it fades to after a while. Not yet decided on the cut. Here is what I need out of the hair style:

• face framingness
• absolutely no-fuss styling. I have no patience for doing more than putting a handful of mousse in, and maybe blow-drying if it's cold out and I might freeze to death going out with wet hair.
• ability of hair style to stand up to being crammed under a bicycle helmet or winter hat, with minimal fuss needed to regain stylishness.
• must be able to grow out without frequent maintenance trims in case I spaz out and need long hair again. Also because I probably won't bother getting trims as often as I should.

This is the current reality of my hair:

• I'm not sure what shape my face is - sometimes I want to say oval, sometimes rectangular, sometimes heartshaped.
• Widow's peak, and cowlicks on either side of it.
• various levels of curl, from the capacity for ringlets at the hairline to gentle wave.
• although I do not have bangs cut, there are significant amounts of wispies in the bangs area. These bits of hair do not stay put when I pull my hair back into a pony tail, braid or bun. As I hate having my hair in my face when trying to work, think, read, or do anything other than look pretty, I put my hair up a lot. The amount of wispies is enough to make me look unkepmt and slovenly at work. Since I can't control these short flyaway hairs, I'm figuring I had better cut the rest of the hair to fit in with them.
• This is a close-up of me, wearing the tiara Daniel got me for Christmas. The tiara does a lovely job of controlling the wispies. Alas, it is impractical to wear to work, as it tends to get caught on my winter hat. >[link]

Suggestions?

Forgot to mention, beth, I think your new cut looks fabu-rific on you.

Find a haircutter who specializes in curly hair. I found mine at www.curlygirl.com, and she is priceless. One of her cuts (mine is in long layers to the shoulders) looks like you haven't done anything at all to the hair, it just grows in beautiful waves. In fact, lots of bits are chopped out to keep it from going all Roseanne Rosannadanna. I go months without seeing her.

Point 2: Deva hair products, notably NoPoo. Wash with the non-shampoo, condition, put on gel, let air dry. No care required; twist it into shape before you dry. Excellent for curly hair, because it doesn't dry it out; my hair's never been healthier, and I've been using the stuff for a year now.

Oh, P.S.: My most recent cut, I said to my haircutter, Look, I'm going to have wispies, just cut them short and let me work with them. She did; now I just damp them with water and turn them into individual curls.

multigrain cereal. Or, you know, not. Thanks for suggestions, Betsy.

Here's one I rather like, the girl with the flowers, but I'm not sure I want to go that short, as I don't think it will hold its style if I neglect to have it trimmed: [link]

Here's another possibility, the girl in white. Her hair is not wavy, but maybe the basic shape of the cut would work? [link]

Oooh, I could be happy with either of these, but I think the one on the right is closer to what is in my mind's eye (only she is obviously spending a lot more time styling than I want to): [link]

Andi, that linked back to your tiara pic.

Thanks, Sail. Fixed.

A bit longer, and very much what I picture in my head - [link] - but I'm not sure how that will really look on me. The girl in white.

Andi, the girl on the right in the last link is completely doable without styling. Does your hair curl like that when it is wet? If so, wash it with the right products and it will stay charmingly tousled. The trick is to never brush or comb it after it is dry.