But I can't describe exactly what I want different.

Pictures are good. Or I could try to translate what you want into Stylist Speak.

I took pictures. I showed them to her and in the process tried to show them to her again and she said "I remember what they look like." This is one of the pictures [link] I took with me and this one [link]

(except I wanted it shorter in the back)

Here are pictures of my current hairstyle after I came home and styled it and sprayed the hell out of it with Aqua Net [link] , [link] , [link] , [link]

At one point there was a visible line around my head where she had buzzed it short but didn't blend it in. I even went back when I realized the back wasn't blended in at all - there was a visible line.

I also told her that when I had it styled before when I was thrilled with it the stylist (after the hair was short), twisted sections of hair and cut into the twists either straight down or at a slight angle. She didn't do that.

I think there was, to use Tabitha, a lack of education.

I'm not sure how to put in stylist terms I want a short, choppy hair cut that can be styled spikey.

When I was a kid in the 70s, we once let something in the crockpot for two days (we got trapped somewhere, as I recall). The food inside was burned to a crisp and we had to throw out the crock pot (and oh, the smell!), but no adverse effects to the counter or kitchen. I figure that they've only gotten safer since then. I leave it on with impunity.

I think there was, to use Tabitha, a lack of education.

I think so. A short cut like yours needs a lot of attention to detail. It doesn't sound like she listened to you, or tailored the cut to your face.

The good news though, is that when your hair is that short it's easy to make little changes to it in a relatively short period of time. In a few weeks you can tweak it a bit with a better stylist.

Is there any Stylist speak I should use for next time? I wanted something that I could either wear either styled or without product and it would still look good.

I'm going to see how long it gets and maybe try to get it shaped up before Will and I go to Maine.

Is there any Stylist speak I should use for next time?

You're going to need a stylist that's more adept at texturizing your hair. The Elizabeth Falkner cut looks similar but it's got more length on top that's been cut into and texturized (cutting into the layers) so it can be styled like that.

This stylist just kind of gave you a generic variation on that cut without looking about how to tailor it to your face and should've offered some feedback about how to shape it around your ears and nape. One of the other pictures you showed had a lot more length in those areas which would have offered a little more leeway with styling. She should've talked about that with you.

And don't be shy about asking a woman you see with a great short style who her stylist is!

I haven't seen anyone with short hair around here, there's not much of it - at least not like this.

Those pictures are really bad of me but I don't take flattering self pics. I probably should have left it longer on the sides, but she cut it but then said to get it shorter she'd have to use clippers.

As long as it's styled this is not the worst haircut I've ever had.

but she cut it but then said to get it shorter she'd have to use clippers.

That's kind of where she lost the nuance of the cut. Scissors over comb would've been better to take it close there.

For the first time in months I'm wearing top to toe black. It's finally cooled off enough. It's very soothing to be all in black again.