A Professor's Hair Diary

A few weeks ago, I came up with the scheme of fixing my hair a different way for every day of the semester.

I teach Monday, Wednesday and Friday at one of my colleges beginning at 8 a.m. I plan to wear my hair down and curly -- natural -- the first day. Then after that I hope to wear a different hairstyle every day.
I'll capture the look on Instagram, which is now connected to my Twitter account, so if you want to follow along, my Instagram account is @runningfan63 and my Twitter account is @paulitakincer.
Grace has set up a Pinterest board with different ideas to try, and my hairstyles should get pretty elaborate quickly because Grace is leaving on Sept. 13. That means I'll only have her here to help me with my hair for a few weeks.
In addition to the challenge of trying to come up with a different hairstyle three times a week for 15 weeks, I wonder how long it will take the students to notice.
One of my teaching friends predicts they will never realize that my hair is different each time I come to class. I say they will.
My students have commented before if I start the semester wearing dresses every day and then switch to pants when it gets colder.
This morning, the day before classes begin, with seven total classes to teach, the whole idea is daunting, but hopefully the hairstyle meme will keep me enthused throughout the semester.

Tuesday Intros -- The Divorce Papers

Every Tuesday, Diane at Bibliophile by the Sea posts the first paragraph of her current read. Anyone can join in. Go to Diane's website for the image and share the first paragraph of the current book you are reading.
Here's the intro from Divorce Papers by Susan Rieger. I'm just starting it but it looks like it is told in the form of various letters from lawyers and others. It begins with this one from a child.

1999 Happy New Year
Daniel Maria & Jane Durkheim
Dear Poppa,
I wish you were here. Mommy and Daddy are very cranky. Is 1999 going to be a good year? What's a millennium? And what's Montezuma's revenge? Daddy has it. Mommy says I have an iron stomach.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Jane.

I'm not sure about this new form, but I suppose I should give it a try.
I look forward to seeing what everyone else is reading.

First Paragraph, Teaser Tuesday -- The Paris Architect

Every Tuesday, Diane at Bibliophile by the Sea posts the first paragraph of her current read. Anyone can join in. Go to Diane's website for the image and share the first paragraph of the current book you are reading.
My husband just finished this book really quickly and enjoyed it, so I'm going to dive in. The Paris

Architect by Charles Belfoure is set in 1942 Paris as an architect tries to design "a secret hiding place for a wealthy Jewish man" that will help hide him from the Germans.
Here's the intro:

Just as Lucien Bernard rounded the corner at the Rue La Boétie, a man running from the opposite direction almost collided with him. He came so close that Lucien could smell his cologne as he raced by.
In the very second that Lucien realized he and the man wore the same scent, L'Eau d'Aunay, he heard a loud crack. He turned around. Just two meters away, the man lay face down on the sidewalk, blood streaming from the back of his bald head as though someone had turned on a faucet inside his skull. The dark crimson fluid flowed quickly in a narrow rivulet down his neck, over his crisp white collar, and then onto his well-tailored navy blue suit, changing its color to a rich deep purple. 

I feel like I could use this opening as an example for my Creative Writing students -- the way the main character connects with this everyman who is then shot. The rich details, although they're sad.

I'm joining Teaser Tuesday this week too.
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Open to a random page of your current read  and share a teaser sentence from somewhere on that page. BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teaser.
Here's my teaser from page 37:

Celeste was walking back from their balcony with a dead rabbit in her hand. It was impossible for anyone but a baby to live off the officially allowed rations set by the French government, so people had to be resourceful. Even well-to-do Parisians had taken to keeping a hutch of rabbits on their balconies to provide much-needed meat. 

Saturday Snapshot -- Bagpipes and Defiant Cats

I wish I could take a picture that did justice to the fuschia plant hanging on my back porch as I look out the back door. The red buds hanging down are reflected in the shiny black granite countertop in my kitchen.
But, instead, I'll post a picture from a graduation party last night.
Some parents in our little town are wealthy, and they don't spare expense at a graduation party. Last  night's party had a food truck that served tacos and an open bar. I drank two gin and tonics! But the real surprise came when the bagpipers marched in.

I always think of bagpipers as Scottish, but these guys wore solid green kilts so I guess they were Irish to fit one of the graduates, Dempsey. 

Some parents spare no expense. 

During the day yesterday, I had another surprise. Someone had left the window down in the car. Our outdoor cat decided the dashboard was a perfect place to lounge. 

He's giving me a look that says, "What?"

Hope everyone has a lovely weekend.

Saturday Snapshot -- Tuxes

It's a gorgeous day here in Ohio, so I plan to go in search of spring flower photos.
It's prom day here, but the high school kids won't get dressed up until this evening. If I had a daughter going to prom, she might be going for a manicure or getting an updo on her hair.
Instead, my son is in the basement playing video games. His prom prep will probably consist of a second shower this evening before he throws on his tux and goes to pick up his date.
Hopefully, I'll have pictures to share next week.
Here's Tucker last year, posing with our cat Tybalt, who always has his tux on .

Tonight, Tucker will be wearing a black and white tuxedo too. 

Hope you are having a terrific weekend. 

Saturday Snapshot -- I Don't Think He'll Fit