One year ago on this date, I walked away from predictable and comfortable for an unplanned period of time. I've spent much of the past few weeks having those vivid reels of memory play through my mind. Mostly I flash back to Costa Rica. I relive scenery and conversations: glimpses of sunrise walks on the beach and rainforest canopies, soundbites of choppy Spanish conversation and Pacific waves. It's an involuntary but unstoppable brain activity imbued with a sense of fondness and longing.
I've spent a lot of hours pondering 'happiness' - discussing, reading, thinking. What I've come to conclude is that I can't think of happiness as an aggregate. So what exactly does that mean? There's no such thing as the perfect alignment of all circumstances and situations. This isn't Pleasantville. Life doesn't fit in a box. If we expect to attain perfection across all of life's myriad segments (career, home, love, family, etc.) at once, then we've only set ourselves up for a fall.
Looking at it from another angle, we also can't expect to believe that a single decision we make right now will remain the unaltered solution in the long term. By nature, our needs and ideals shift and change. So you can't ask yourself, "What will make me happy forever?" Odds are, there isn't an answer. I'm no longer even willing to ask myself, "What will make me happy a year from now?". Because, honestly, one year ago I wouldn't have had a clue about my life course in January 2013. I actually didn't even want to have a clue. And I'm remembering how that lack of pressure felt so freeing.
This doesn't mean I'm going to stop striving toward certain goals. But much like my 2013 goal planning, allowing myself to shift focus if one goal feels out of sync, I want to keep my life decisions malleable. I want happiness to mean that I'm content with what I'm doing in the present. And if I'm not, that I'm exploring ways to redirect myself. This could be as high level as a job or living situation, or as rudimentary as being bored on a Saturday afternoon.
One other thought, snagged from a blog that I follow, that keeps running through my head:
"I realised it was never about what I wanted to do, but about how I wanted to feel."
sentimental graffiti \01.13\
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Labels:
graffiti,
texture,
urban
I've spent a lot of hours pondering 'happiness' - discussing, reading, thinking. What I've come to conclude is that I can't think of happiness as an aggregate. So what exactly does that mean? There's no such thing as the perfect alignment of all circumstances and situations. This isn't Pleasantville. Life doesn't fit in a box. If we expect to attain perfection across all of life's myriad segments (career, home, love, family, etc.) at once, then we've only set ourselves up for a fall.
Looking at it from another angle, we also can't expect to believe that a single decision we make right now will remain the unaltered solution in the long term. By nature, our needs and ideals shift and change. So you can't ask yourself, "What will make me happy forever?" Odds are, there isn't an answer. I'm no longer even willing to ask myself, "What will make me happy a year from now?". Because, honestly, one year ago I wouldn't have had a clue about my life course in January 2013. I actually didn't even want to have a clue. And I'm remembering how that lack of pressure felt so freeing.
This doesn't mean I'm going to stop striving toward certain goals. But much like my 2013 goal planning, allowing myself to shift focus if one goal feels out of sync, I want to keep my life decisions malleable. I want happiness to mean that I'm content with what I'm doing in the present. And if I'm not, that I'm exploring ways to redirect myself. This could be as high level as a job or living situation, or as rudimentary as being bored on a Saturday afternoon.
One other thought, snagged from a blog that I follow, that keeps running through my head:
"I realised it was never about what I wanted to do, but about how I wanted to feel."
In the midst of a rain/snow, trekking down the sidewalk, head down, this texture caught my eye. I got a few strange looks as I pulled out my phone and photographed the corner of a doorway multiple times. Small price to pay for an "ooh!" moment in an otherwise cold and dreary atmosphere.
red & rusty \01.06\
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Labels:
building,
color,
texture
Despite no longer being beholden to daily posting, I couldn't seem to break the habit today. There was sunlight, a rare winter occurrence. Even though it was a balmy 25 degrees outside, I bundled up and spent as much quality time with my camera as possible...until my fingers went numb. Then I stopped at Starbucks and had a hot chocolate.
Even though the scenery is mostly dreary and colorless, I made it my mission to somehow draw out visual interest with the textures, light and shadows. I'm relatively pleased with my little mission, although there were quite a few duds in the camera roll.
let there be light \01.01\
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Labels:
ice,
lamp,
outdoors,
reflection,
sun,
winter
Even though the scenery is mostly dreary and colorless, I made it my mission to somehow draw out visual interest with the textures, light and shadows. I'm relatively pleased with my little mission, although there were quite a few duds in the camera roll.
Victory is mine! The day-to-day account of a year in the life of my lens and my mind comes to a close. Knowing that I actually fulfilled the old "you can do whatever you put your mind to" adage is motivating in looking forward to 2013. So it's time to set some new benchmarks. Based on my commentary from yesterday's post, regarding the over-exuberance in committing to new things, I'm approaching plans for next year in a slightly different manner.
Similar to goal-setting in a business environment, I'll have a couple overarching goals for the year. But I'll think a little more short-term for the goals with more of a trial and error aspect - those will be revised quasi-quarterly. (I say 'quasi' because the odds of me regrouping exactly on April 1 is unlikely.) This will allow me to feel at ease in not taking on a million ideas at once, and also in assessing whether my Q1 attempts were worthwhile without feeling guilty for not following through all year long. So it's more of a way to trick my own mind while also maintaining a semblance of organization.
--
The overarching goals, as they stand today:
1. International Travel - At least two international excursions. Those are tentatively set already: Ecuador in late May and Croatia in September. If this quantity has room for increase, you'll find no complaints from me. I'd be happy to overachieve on this one.
2. Keeping in Touch - I can admittedly be pretty bad at this. I'm not the world's best phone talker. I'd actually be better at keeping touch if we went back to the old pen pal method, pen and paper. Or even email. My communication style is better suited to writing, but that's not the general method that other people in my life employ. But it's important to me that I do a better job of touching base with the important, yet distant, people in my life.
So there isn't an exact plan in place, but I need to sometimes suck up my lack of enthusiasm for phone calls and also consider other communication adaptations. Cards, flowers, text messages. It'll be different for the individual in question. And where the option is feasible, finding time to visit is the best alternative of all.
3. Photography - This should go without saying. I want to learn my camera so well that it feels like a native limb to my body, exploring function as well as composition and point of view. Where infatuation already exists, I think there is an opportunity to develop this hobby into a real love affair.
--
For the approximate timeframe of January through March, my trial and error goals include:
1. Exercise - The New Year's gold standard. As soon as spring hits, I can't get enough of active outdoor pursuits. A natural vigor for physical activity hits me. When it's dark, cold and dreary - nothing. Pushing buttons on my TV remote sounds like suitable aerobic activity.
So while I don't expect myself to be pushing five to seven days a week, I'd like to maintain at least a moderate level. They say it's good for your mental sanity, which is actual more important for me in the winter than my physical state. So a combo of yoga, perhaps once a week, and a couple pre- or post-work sessions in my basic basement gym will be the aim.
2. Spanish - I've loved the language since I was ten. While most people couldn't wait to finish the obligatory two years of language required in high school, I took four. Then I took two semesters in college, for fun. When I visit Spanish-speaking countries, I have mixed emotions of love and fear. I want to speak it, I love the way Spanish feels rolling off of my tongue, but I'm frustrated by my elementary capabilities.
Clearly that's all within my control. I've looked at language classes and online instruction exhaustively, but it never feels like good value for my money. That's because I've already been through all of those lessons. What I really need is simple immersion. Not having a Spanish-speaking friend, I need to seek one out. So the mission is to find a conversation partner (after first determining a reputable source to do so) and begin working my way up to fluency.
Though this one is part of a lifelong mission, it falls into the trial and error goals, because I'm not sure if this method is the solution. Perhaps I'll get started and realize that I do, in fact, need a structured course. Or that I need to drop everything and move in with a family in rural Argentina.
3. Creative Outlets - This category will start out vague, because I'm not sure which ones will catch on. Or maybe none of them will catch, but they'll all be valuable one-off experiences. They say that engaging in other creative outlets helps feed the creativity for your true passion. And who knows, maybe along the way I find another passion. Or learn some important lessons about life, the world, myself.
So I'm going to push myself to try things that I've never done, while trying to quell the fear of not being good at them. As a perfectionist, that's always part of the fear of new things. "What if I'm horrible?" My mind has often run away with itself, imagining the consequences in great, horrid detail. It can rarely be as bad as all of that. Thanks to services like Dabble, I'm going to keep the creative wheels turning and see what happens.
--
Three macro and micro goals apiece seems like a good starting point. Especially since some of them are still a little vague in my head and not immediately executable. They'll require some sifting, sorting and planning. I feel good about starting 2013; it's difficult to believe what a different starting position I'm in from last year.
Last, but not least, thanks to anyone and everyone who kept my little project on their radar in 2012. Honestly, keeping it up would've been infinitely more difficult if I hadn't seen any views when I peaked at the stats. Even one page view a day kept me compelled. It'll actually be pretty cool some day in the future to look back on that one time I essentially chronicled a year of my life. So thanks for keeping me on track.
In the next year, I'm not planning to disappear from cyberspace but the rules will be a little more lax. Tentatively, the plan is at least one post a week. The focus will probably be more photos and less text, but it'll really just depend on inspiration. You may get five posts one week, a short novel one day, or a single snapshot in a week with only a title. But I'll be around - and I hope you will too.
Happy New Year!
pour the bubbly \12.31\
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Labels:
champagne,
hat,
holiday,
wine
Victory is mine! The day-to-day account of a year in the life of my lens and my mind comes to a close. Knowing that I actually fulfilled the old "you can do whatever you put your mind to" adage is motivating in looking forward to 2013. So it's time to set some new benchmarks. Based on my commentary from yesterday's post, regarding the over-exuberance in committing to new things, I'm approaching plans for next year in a slightly different manner.Similar to goal-setting in a business environment, I'll have a couple overarching goals for the year. But I'll think a little more short-term for the goals with more of a trial and error aspect - those will be revised quasi-quarterly. (I say 'quasi' because the odds of me regrouping exactly on April 1 is unlikely.) This will allow me to feel at ease in not taking on a million ideas at once, and also in assessing whether my Q1 attempts were worthwhile without feeling guilty for not following through all year long. So it's more of a way to trick my own mind while also maintaining a semblance of organization.--
The overarching goals, as they stand today:
1. International Travel - At least two international excursions. Those are tentatively set already: Ecuador in late May and Croatia in September. If this quantity has room for increase, you'll find no complaints from me. I'd be happy to overachieve on this one.
2. Keeping in Touch - I can admittedly be pretty bad at this. I'm not the world's best phone talker. I'd actually be better at keeping touch if we went back to the old pen pal method, pen and paper. Or even email. My communication style is better suited to writing, but that's not the general method that other people in my life employ. But it's important to me that I do a better job of touching base with the important, yet distant, people in my life.
So there isn't an exact plan in place, but I need to sometimes suck up my lack of enthusiasm for phone calls and also consider other communication adaptations. Cards, flowers, text messages. It'll be different for the individual in question. And where the option is feasible, finding time to visit is the best alternative of all.
3. Photography - This should go without saying. I want to learn my camera so well that it feels like a native limb to my body, exploring function as well as composition and point of view. Where infatuation already exists, I think there is an opportunity to develop this hobby into a real love affair.
--
For the approximate timeframe of January through March, my trial and error goals include:
1. Exercise - The New Year's gold standard. As soon as spring hits, I can't get enough of active outdoor pursuits. A natural vigor for physical activity hits me. When it's dark, cold and dreary - nothing. Pushing buttons on my TV remote sounds like suitable aerobic activity.
So while I don't expect myself to be pushing five to seven days a week, I'd like to maintain at least a moderate level. They say it's good for your mental sanity, which is actual more important for me in the winter than my physical state. So a combo of yoga, perhaps once a week, and a couple pre- or post-work sessions in my basic basement gym will be the aim.
2. Spanish - I've loved the language since I was ten. While most people couldn't wait to finish the obligatory two years of language required in high school, I took four. Then I took two semesters in college, for fun. When I visit Spanish-speaking countries, I have mixed emotions of love and fear. I want to speak it, I love the way Spanish feels rolling off of my tongue, but I'm frustrated by my elementary capabilities.
Clearly that's all within my control. I've looked at language classes and online instruction exhaustively, but it never feels like good value for my money. That's because I've already been through all of those lessons. What I really need is simple immersion. Not having a Spanish-speaking friend, I need to seek one out. So the mission is to find a conversation partner (after first determining a reputable source to do so) and begin working my way up to fluency.
Though this one is part of a lifelong mission, it falls into the trial and error goals, because I'm not sure if this method is the solution. Perhaps I'll get started and realize that I do, in fact, need a structured course. Or that I need to drop everything and move in with a family in rural Argentina.
3. Creative Outlets - This category will start out vague, because I'm not sure which ones will catch on. Or maybe none of them will catch, but they'll all be valuable one-off experiences. They say that engaging in other creative outlets helps feed the creativity for your true passion. And who knows, maybe along the way I find another passion. Or learn some important lessons about life, the world, myself.
So I'm going to push myself to try things that I've never done, while trying to quell the fear of not being good at them. As a perfectionist, that's always part of the fear of new things. "What if I'm horrible?" My mind has often run away with itself, imagining the consequences in great, horrid detail. It can rarely be as bad as all of that. Thanks to services like Dabble, I'm going to keep the creative wheels turning and see what happens.
--
Three macro and micro goals apiece seems like a good starting point. Especially since some of them are still a little vague in my head and not immediately executable. They'll require some sifting, sorting and planning. I feel good about starting 2013; it's difficult to believe what a different starting position I'm in from last year.
Last, but not least, thanks to anyone and everyone who kept my little project on their radar in 2012. Honestly, keeping it up would've been infinitely more difficult if I hadn't seen any views when I peaked at the stats. Even one page view a day kept me compelled. It'll actually be pretty cool some day in the future to look back on that one time I essentially chronicled a year of my life. So thanks for keeping me on track.
In the next year, I'm not planning to disappear from cyberspace but the rules will be a little more lax. Tentatively, the plan is at least one post a week. The focus will probably be more photos and less text, but it'll really just depend on inspiration. You may get five posts one week, a short novel one day, or a single snapshot in a week with only a title. But I'll be around - and I hope you will too.
Happy New Year!
For every ounce of awesomeness, there is some measure of the not so amazing and things that fell through the cracks. These are the places with potential to teach lessons and provide enlightenment. So today is dedicated to a high-level retrospective of the things that could've gone better in the past year.
1. Hand in Too Many Jars - Although trial and error was a theme for 2012, the approach could've been better at times. There was a tendency to put too many objectives in play at once, which pretty much set me up for immediate follow-through failure.
I wanted to practice my Spanish, learn how to code, and read the Randomhouse 32 "best" novels...all at once. In addition to crafting, photographing, blogging, working out, cooking, and a multitude of other things that weren't yet regularities of my daily life. Despite being jobless, thus having a lot of spare time, it was a little excessive.
2. "Best" is Subjective - Short follow-up to a point I made above. I've always considered it a difficult task to give me a book that I dislike enough to not finish. It may have taken three attempts, but I finally forced myself through Madame Bovary. I also posited that I liked classic literature. My Randomhouse experiment has, in part, disproved both theories.
I did actually complete all of the books that I started, but there was ample skim reading in some of the more obnoxiously long-winded and preachy texts. And I feel quite assured that there are classic books, considered among the best literature has to offer, that I can't stand. In the future, I'll take "best" with a grain of salt.
3. Losing Someone - There's nothing I could have done to change this one. But it was definitely one of 2012's rougher patches. And one of it's more thought-inducing - a lesson in appreciating the people in your life. It's easy to get caught up in the immediate activity around you and lose track of the people outside of that radius. My great aunt's passing helped to remind me that you don't want to wait until you know time is limited or gone.
4. There Is No Perfect Job - I've hoped, prayed, and looked for the perfect job. Initially, my focus for Costa Rica was figuring out my perfect job. Frankly, I thought about virtually everything besides employment. Then I spent seven additional months in Chicago pondering this question, before accepting that perfect is unlikely even if you're unequivocally excited about what you do.
I suppose it's sort of like buying a house or finding a spouse. They'll pretty much never tick all of the boxes on the dream list. Once I accepted that, I was able to find a job that I felt proud to accept. As long as I can find things to appreciate about the situation that I'm in, it's right at that moment. I'm learning and growing, and there's nothing wrong with that.
--
That's 2012 in a nutshell, which leaves one more day. One more blog. And that final day of this year-long commitment will be looking forward. Trying to sketch out a gameplan for 2013.
ending 2012 with a caloric bang \12.30\
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Labels:
food,
restaurant
1. Hand in Too Many Jars - Although trial and error was a theme for 2012, the approach could've been better at times. There was a tendency to put too many objectives in play at once, which pretty much set me up for immediate follow-through failure.
I wanted to practice my Spanish, learn how to code, and read the Randomhouse 32 "best" novels...all at once. In addition to crafting, photographing, blogging, working out, cooking, and a multitude of other things that weren't yet regularities of my daily life. Despite being jobless, thus having a lot of spare time, it was a little excessive.
2. "Best" is Subjective - Short follow-up to a point I made above. I've always considered it a difficult task to give me a book that I dislike enough to not finish. It may have taken three attempts, but I finally forced myself through Madame Bovary. I also posited that I liked classic literature. My Randomhouse experiment has, in part, disproved both theories.
I did actually complete all of the books that I started, but there was ample skim reading in some of the more obnoxiously long-winded and preachy texts. And I feel quite assured that there are classic books, considered among the best literature has to offer, that I can't stand. In the future, I'll take "best" with a grain of salt.
3. Losing Someone - There's nothing I could have done to change this one. But it was definitely one of 2012's rougher patches. And one of it's more thought-inducing - a lesson in appreciating the people in your life. It's easy to get caught up in the immediate activity around you and lose track of the people outside of that radius. My great aunt's passing helped to remind me that you don't want to wait until you know time is limited or gone.
4. There Is No Perfect Job - I've hoped, prayed, and looked for the perfect job. Initially, my focus for Costa Rica was figuring out my perfect job. Frankly, I thought about virtually everything besides employment. Then I spent seven additional months in Chicago pondering this question, before accepting that perfect is unlikely even if you're unequivocally excited about what you do.
I suppose it's sort of like buying a house or finding a spouse. They'll pretty much never tick all of the boxes on the dream list. Once I accepted that, I was able to find a job that I felt proud to accept. As long as I can find things to appreciate about the situation that I'm in, it's right at that moment. I'm learning and growing, and there's nothing wrong with that.
--
That's 2012 in a nutshell, which leaves one more day. One more blog. And that final day of this year-long commitment will be looking forward. Trying to sketch out a gameplan for 2013.
I've decided that my final days of this commitment will be a three-part series. Today's mission, focus on what went right in 2012.
1. Costa Rica - Without a doubt, one of the most 'right' things that I've ever done in my life. Committing to leaving unhappiness behind and expanding my personal horizons on a solo adventure in an amazing place. There will be more Costa Rica in my future; it's in my blood. It would take more entries than you'd be willing to read to expand upon all of the things that this decision taught me.
2. Trial and Error - I have a tendency to only try when I'm predominantly sure of an outcome. At least that was my standard operating procedure in the past. In 2012, I made it a point to say "yes" even when it made me nervous and to test drive the unknown.
By no means did I go to extremes, but I explored some of the notions that I've considered in the realm of independent employment. Despite a lot of learnings and some unique experiences (i.e. Hoarders), the love wasn't there. And you know what? I don't regret trying, not a bit.
There were plenty of other trial categories that did stick: eggs, quinoa, yoga. Sure, they don't seem earth-shattering, but to say that I've been picky most of my life is an understatement.
3. Slowing Down - It's no secret to me or anyone that knows me well, I'm very performance and expectation driven. Without realizing it, I can work myself to excess. Unfortunately it's easy for other people to take that as a cue to push you harder. Then I take it up a notch...vicious cycle.
So even after I returned from my international adventure, I forced myself to wait. Pressure mounted almost immediately upon my return - "So, are you applying for jobs yet? What do you want to do?" I knew I wasn't ready, but it took a lot of effort to wait until I was. Ultimately I felt a lot better about my decision, having held out until I was bored of relaxing.
4. Investing in Passion - My trip to Costa Rica was technically an investment. An investment in my happiness and sanity. I could've just quit my job, stayed in Chicago for that month, and saved a little bit. But it wouldn't have had nearly the same effect. My other great investment has been in photography. Yes, the recent acquisition of my dSLR was a monetary investment. But I've also invested a lot of time and effort.
As of today, I've spent 364 days finding photo ops to funnel into this digital channel of communication. Beyond that, I've invested time into researching dSLR cameras and, now that I have one, reading tutorials, tips, and tricks. Part of it could be that I'm stubborn and refused to not follow through. But a larger, and more important, part was realizing that even on the days when I drag my feet and have no motivation - I'm ultimately happy with the result. Even when I know that it's not my best photo, I know that I learned something merely through taking a bad photo.
---
If I wanted to drill down to specifics, I'm sure there are many other things that went right. But for the sake of some brevity, I'll stick with the major themes that seemed obvious to me.
snow dappled \12.29\
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Labels:
berries,
fence,
leaves,
snow
1. Costa Rica - Without a doubt, one of the most 'right' things that I've ever done in my life. Committing to leaving unhappiness behind and expanding my personal horizons on a solo adventure in an amazing place. There will be more Costa Rica in my future; it's in my blood. It would take more entries than you'd be willing to read to expand upon all of the things that this decision taught me.
2. Trial and Error - I have a tendency to only try when I'm predominantly sure of an outcome. At least that was my standard operating procedure in the past. In 2012, I made it a point to say "yes" even when it made me nervous and to test drive the unknown.
By no means did I go to extremes, but I explored some of the notions that I've considered in the realm of independent employment. Despite a lot of learnings and some unique experiences (i.e. Hoarders), the love wasn't there. And you know what? I don't regret trying, not a bit.
There were plenty of other trial categories that did stick: eggs, quinoa, yoga. Sure, they don't seem earth-shattering, but to say that I've been picky most of my life is an understatement.
3. Slowing Down - It's no secret to me or anyone that knows me well, I'm very performance and expectation driven. Without realizing it, I can work myself to excess. Unfortunately it's easy for other people to take that as a cue to push you harder. Then I take it up a notch...vicious cycle.
So even after I returned from my international adventure, I forced myself to wait. Pressure mounted almost immediately upon my return - "So, are you applying for jobs yet? What do you want to do?" I knew I wasn't ready, but it took a lot of effort to wait until I was. Ultimately I felt a lot better about my decision, having held out until I was bored of relaxing.
4. Investing in Passion - My trip to Costa Rica was technically an investment. An investment in my happiness and sanity. I could've just quit my job, stayed in Chicago for that month, and saved a little bit. But it wouldn't have had nearly the same effect. My other great investment has been in photography. Yes, the recent acquisition of my dSLR was a monetary investment. But I've also invested a lot of time and effort.
As of today, I've spent 364 days finding photo ops to funnel into this digital channel of communication. Beyond that, I've invested time into researching dSLR cameras and, now that I have one, reading tutorials, tips, and tricks. Part of it could be that I'm stubborn and refused to not follow through. But a larger, and more important, part was realizing that even on the days when I drag my feet and have no motivation - I'm ultimately happy with the result. Even when I know that it's not my best photo, I know that I learned something merely through taking a bad photo.
---
If I wanted to drill down to specifics, I'm sure there are many other things that went right. But for the sake of some brevity, I'll stick with the major themes that seemed obvious to me.
By the nature of my job duties, I sift through inordinate amounts of internet content. Even if I don't stop to read full articles, every day is a veritable Cliff's Notes of news, informative articles and pop culture.
This prologue has a point.
Today I learned about the revival of the original Herbal Essences. The kind with a scent that could somewhat rightfully claim the herbal title. I was a loyal purchaser, turned detractor when they changed up the whole product line. Thanks to dying market share, they're looking for people like me and hoping we'll come traipsing back to their shelves for a revival.
Well, they may win, sort of. At least in the short term. I will, in fact, purchase their product again - thanks in part to my prior affinity, as well as a marketable decision to make the products sulfate-free. There will be no total buy-in until a test period has concluded, though. Plus, they have to overcome the fact that I'm quite happy with my Aussie conditioner.
Word on the street also suggests that you'll see at least one new adaptation of those shower scene commercials around the Grammy awards. (I may be seriously grasping at straws for blog topics now. Hair products...really? Oh well.)
snowfall & rooftops \12.28\
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Labels:
buildings,
neighborhood,
snow,
winter
This prologue has a point.
Today I learned about the revival of the original Herbal Essences. The kind with a scent that could somewhat rightfully claim the herbal title. I was a loyal purchaser, turned detractor when they changed up the whole product line. Thanks to dying market share, they're looking for people like me and hoping we'll come traipsing back to their shelves for a revival.
Well, they may win, sort of. At least in the short term. I will, in fact, purchase their product again - thanks in part to my prior affinity, as well as a marketable decision to make the products sulfate-free. There will be no total buy-in until a test period has concluded, though. Plus, they have to overcome the fact that I'm quite happy with my Aussie conditioner.
Word on the street also suggests that you'll see at least one new adaptation of those shower scene commercials around the Grammy awards. (I may be seriously grasping at straws for blog topics now. Hair products...really? Oh well.)