Work: hair, and a short move

[redbird]

My actual boss--as distinct from Marvin, who's my day-to-day supervisor and generally signs my timesheets--came in this morning and told me that she'd decided to move me from the office I've been in over to the empty cubicle in the proofreading area, because she thought it would help me concentrate.

I'd be more convinced by this reasoning had I not, immediately after completing the move, been distracted by people quoting Rodney Dangerfield jokes at each other. The problem is that if this doesn't work--if, specifically, it proves a distraction--the conclusion is more likely to be that I'm not suited to the work than that moving me was a bad idea. On the other hand, one of my co-proofreaders said that she thinks the reason for the move is that that office isn't proofreading space, and that there's no good basis for us using it when there's room for all of us in the area that is designated for proofreading. One effect of this move is that the work number I gave some people is no longer functional: it might still get to a voice mail box, but I won't see the message light. (At some point I'll have an outgoing phone line again, though making calls will be more problematic, because I can't close a door to avoid distracting people.) Fortunately, I'm not particularly bothered by people walking by behind me, and there isn't much traffic through there. (rysmiel, you would hate it.) There are other annoyances, notably that none of the cubicle walls will take pushpins, so I can't post any of my accumulated notes and photocopies, and that no office and no office door means no private place to do crunches (not that I was up for those today).

Alina who I ride the train with complimented my hair; one of the other people in the van did a double-take when I got in, and said something about my being early for Halloween. That joke I got twice today, though I have no idea what they think I'm going to dress as. Marvin said "Oh my god!"--I asked him whether he'd ever seen purple hair before, and got a response that came down to "yes, but not on a grown-up." When I came in after a walk at lunchtime, the receptionist said "Why?" and I had no idea what she was referring to at first. I suspect the next questioner will get something like "Martians," or if they're lucky "Because it's the color I had in the house" (this is actually true). On the other hand, back here in the city cattitude and I had a nice conversation with a neighbor which began with her saying something about my hair. She said it took guts to do something like that, and I said that the one thing to remember is that purple hair gives anyone and everyone the excuse to start a conversation, so if you don't want to talk to strangers, don't do it. This led us to talking about giving directions to tourists, at home and while traveling.

Comments

[kightp.livejournal.com]

I've been coloring my hair (mostly unnatural shades of red) since my 20s. I actually enjoy the comments and conversations - heck, if I'm going to spend this much money to turn my head a hue that never sprang from human roots, I want people to notice.

Mostly.

About a decade ago, when I was still doing some newspaper work, I used a "temporary" fuchsia hue on top of a red that had faded to copper-orange, on top of a grown-out perm. The result, after a couple of washes, was a distinctly striped effect: Fuchsia, blood red and copper, like the school colors of an insane asylum.

I was covering a murder trial, in front of a judge I knew pretty well. He walked into the courtroom that Monday morning, spotted me in the press row - and couldn't take his eyes off my head. I thought I was going to get ejected for disrupting the proceedings.

Later, as I was leaving the courtroom, an elderly woman who'd been sitting near the back approached me. In the sweetest, most sincere tones of sympathy, she asked, "Oh, my dear - what were you trying to do?"

Alternatives to pushpins

[dsgood.livejournal.com]

Scotch tape. Or -- I can't remember what it's called, but it's somewhat like modeling clay.

Re: Alternatives to pushpins

[erik]

it's called "fun tak" or similar.
But it doesn't work on cube walls, because they're fabric.

Re: Alternatives to pushpins

[dsgood.livejournal.com]

What about Velcro?

Re: Alternatives to pushpins

[lysana.livejournal.com]

T-shaped pins work, though.

[erik]

I have a sticker somewhere that says "My hair is this color because I ate paint chips as a child."

grown ups and hair colors

[rdkeir.livejournal.com]

funny, I thought that only grownups got to decide to have their hair be cool colors.

At least, that's the theory my niece is ran up against, when it was time to take her metallic red hair back to high school this fall.

As far as "why purple" goes, I favor the theory that "Purple is associated with royalty, so We thought it appropriate for Our Hair."

[papersky.livejournal.com]

carandol used to have a pair of bright almost neon green trousers covered with red, white and black splotches, as if they'd been used for painting by someone very messy. Combined with his natural bright copper hair and beard, they made him... distinctive and memorable. He got them about the time he was starting to grow his hair and beard, and he claims they cured him of shyness, as total strangers would come up to him and say how much they liked the trousers.

Yay, purple hair.

A lot of the time I like being invisible though. Looking like somebody's mother is a great disguise.

[liv]

That really resonates with me; when I had purple hair it didn't cure me of shyness, because shyness has never been part of my personality. It cured me of unconfidence in my appearance though. Lots of positive attention from total strangers, you see, more than the fact that bright magenta suited me amazingly better than my natural dark mouse.

[lcohen]

there is something about me that causes people to ask me for directions, even if i am in a city i don't know well, for example, new york. also they ask me questions in a store as though i work there. also they ask me where their seats are in a theater. it is probably something about the way i stand or walk but i have no idea what it is.

i liked the purple hair the last time--i imagine i still would!