Friday, July 31, 2009

Vacation Dilema

In these tough economic times, it's necessary to juggle finances, plan expenditures and schedule appointments in a timely manner so as not to blow the budget all at once. Throw in a little vacation and well, things can go very wrong, very quickly, with the checkbook.

For example, my upcoming vacation to Ohio. I've been planning it for six months but I forgot one very important component, and that component is Botox, eyebrows and a haircut! Okay, that's three things but they're all in the same category-- Vanity! And I am guilty as charged.

With five days to go, I looked in the mirror and asked myself, what the hell happened here?!?! Seriously, I said those words out loud!

For starters, I've been stretching my Botox injections a few weeks longer apart and frankly, I'm running on empty! My crows feet are flying at full mast and it looks like my face has melted. Dang!

Even if the too-ridiculous-to-report-amount-of-money was available for a Botox touch-up, five days is not nearly long enough for the full effect of the injection to take place. Contrary to popular belief, your face is not "immediately frozen" after an injection. It take 7-10 days to see it's magic-- At least on my very deep crows feet. But, it's out of the question right now so c'est la vie.

A haircut is doable thanks to Godson's mom. She's a former hair stylist and can snip a bit off the ends to hold me over until I get back.

But that leaves me with the eyebrows. Let me preface this by sharing a little secret with you. I swear my eyebrows grow faster than weeds after a rain storm thanks to some lupus medication I take. My nails grow like crazy too but the brows-- I've got the Andy Rooney eyebrow gene and it's... it's... it's... well.... 'Nuff said.

Never in million years did I ever think I'd need someone to tweeze and trim my eyebrows for me. And I'm not being a high maintenance prima donna here. I seriously need someone to do it for me because my middle-aged eyes have gotten so bad that I can't do it myself anymore!

Did you ever try wearing reading glasses while looking into a lighted magnifying mirror? I'm telling you it is not a good way to go about the task at hand. Brows come out cock-eyed and uneven. You can look up, but not down, to tweeze or trim, plus the frames leave blind spots. Take my word for it, blind spots are not good when you have scissors in hand, near your eyes!

So I'm off today to get my brows done. I will admit, it's probably the best spent money of the above because after my brows are done I feel like I've gotten a momentary face lift. Really! "Liz the Brow Lady" is a miracle worker. I don't know what she does or how she does it, but for one day, life is good and I look awake, and rested, and not nearly as melted.

How do you see things?
Welcome to The Fifty Factor - Joanna

32 comments:

  1. OMGoodness you don't need that stuff you look fabulous :-))

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  2. I wish you would post a pic of yourself sometime. I´m sure you are exaggerating!
    But I agree on the brow thing. Middle age eyes are not the best for seeing those tiny hairs. I have mine waxed, and I think that great, because it´s causing them to grow more slowly. You should try it.

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  3. Enjoy your holiday Joanna. Preparing for a holiday, makes you need and deserves the holiday!

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  4. I cut my own hair and hubby helps in the back. Good enough. My hair has lots of body so whatever little mistakes aren't noticeable. But do I so understand the eye thing. At my age I have to wear my reading glasses and pull each foot as close to my face as possible without getting stuck like a pretzel so I can see to trim my toe nails and apply polish. Sheesh.

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  5. I've never had Botox but with all the squinting I do, I will probably need to do so in a few years. Thank goodness for brow ladies. Love the Andy Rooney line!

    Have fun on your vacation!

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  6. I wear progressive lenses, but fortunately, because I'm near-sighted, I'll always be able to see things from really close up...so the eyebrow tweezing's ok thank goodness.

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  7. I need to get my brows waxed too.

    My new brow tweezing thing is to do it in the car, in the rearview mirror. That mirror shows all the little hairs. I love it!

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  8. The thought of Botox injections scares me, though it's interesting to hear about it. I've always wondered about whether it worked immediately or not. Does that make me bo-curious? ;)

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  9. I can justify any primping regardless of finances. A girls gotta do what a girls gotta do.

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  10. I won't even tell you how I ended up with a half brow but I'm wearing one. I just hope that folks that see me think that I'm trying to be an original.

    I'm trying not to freak out over being 46 but it's hard not to so I totally understand!!!

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  11. I've never had my eyebrows done. I'm sure I'm missing out on some pain. I keep them from growing together though!

    Everything will come together and you'll be your beautiful self and everyone in Ohio will envy you!!

    Hugs!!

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  12. see, I know where you are coming from; you want to look your best, but in this save-save-save, don't spend-spend-spend economy, we have forgotten the comforts we have gotten used to when times were good. I'm going to be meeting a friend from high school; not having seen her in 20 years. Pre-hard economic times I'd be getting my hair done, new outfit, etc. Now it didn't even dawn on me when we made the arrangements, until afterwards....and then I'm like "oh well".

    enjoy your vacation!

    betty

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  13. I'm with Smart Mouth Broad - whatever a girl's gotta do... Have you thought about getting them lasered (the eyes, not the brows) - I have a friend who claims the result is amazing! In the end, though, the most important thing in the world is how you feel about yourself and if you want those things done I'd say screw the vacation, work on the body the way YOU want - a change is as good as a rest they say :)

    Have a good time in Ohio!

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  14. Joanna, aren't you 50 something like moi? In my lovely post-meno life, my eyebrows have decided to try to keep pace with my 67 year old husband's...so, while Lupus meds may play a hand, perhaps hormones are contributing to your eyebrow growth?? I use one of those 12X mirrors and it can get depressing when it shows everything to be HUGE and so darn clear! I respect everyone's choices because I think everyone deserves to be happy. Happiness for me is wearing my age like a medal of honor - I welcome gray hair and graceful aging. (I ACTUALLY LOVE GRAY HAIR!!!) I worked and lived darn hard for all of it. BUT I live in small corner, small town, small state USA where things are about as laid back as they can get without being totally horizontal! :)

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  15. I've had my eyebrows waxed since I was around 15. My daughter started at 12. Yeah. We have that Andy Rooney gene, too.

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  16. I was someone who swore I would never have my Brooke Shields thick eyebrows tweezed by anyone but myself. I can tell you that after actually breaking down and having them professionally tweezed, I couldn't have been more delighted! It took years off my face! lol! It was one of the best cosmetic things I've ever done! Totally worth it!

    Enjoy your vacation in Ohio! (I was born and raised in OH before moving to AZ and miss it terribly!)

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  17. I have the same issue with my brows. They don't grow that fast but it's gotten impossible to shape them myself because the readers block the tweezers.

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  18. I have plucked my brow for so many years that very few hairs grow outside the designated area. But there are many alien hairs that have begun to grow within the brow which have to be brush upwards, held down, then trimmed back with shears.

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  19. Dear Snarky, Now Hairy Sister:
    Do you know what I adore about your crowsfooted, hairy, unmanaged hair self? You write something and you bring the absolute best out of your readers who leave the most wonderful comments about you and what you've shared.

    I know I tell my readers always to look through the comments but I wonder how many actually do? Taking nothing away from your hair woven self, what people write here is always so very interesting!

    I used to pluck my neighbor's eyebrows for her...at the time, when I was in my teens, I couldn't imagine what it must be like to not be able to do this simple chore for myself. Well, now I know. But, here we all are and isn't that the most important part?

    I'm with Peaches...and the rest of you.

    Hair today and Hairs where I'll be as long as you're telling us your tales of life and being!

    Snarky Sister

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  20. So you're saying Andy Rooney eyebrows aren't in fashion anymore? I didn't get that memo!

    Seriously, I hate doing my eyebrows. I've never had them done professionally, but as I get older and my eyesight gets worse, it may be something to look into. Oh the pain we suffer to look good!

    Enjoy your vacation, I'm sure your family will be so happy to see you they'll never notice the crows feet!!

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  21. It takes me a year and a day to sort myself with all the plucking and polishing!

    By the way I've tagged you over at mine.

    RMxx

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  22. I am very lazy about my "upkeep" I HATE sitting to get my hair highlighted....which is why it is in a sad state right now: ) I think I'm going to jump on the botox train...I have the "piggy Bank" line...hate it!!

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  23. It's always good to feel and look your best! Though we are our own worst critics...

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  24. Hey kids, Thanks for commenting and indulging me in my vanity craze. I really appreciate it.

    And thanks for your good wishes for my Ohio trip!

    Keep those cards and letters coming. I love hearing from you! xo

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  25. I love your honesty! I've blogged about Botox and filler. Amazing how polarizing the topic can be. I'm sure you look fabulous, but I sympathize with your situation. I need about $10,000 maintenance money and I don't have it! You're great!

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  26. Oh how funny - we are on the same wavelength - I just added something on my last post before I saw this about my ahircut done on the cheap. My daughter decided to trim my hair this morning. I agreed. I mean what harm could she do.

    OMG there is a reason to put yourself in the hands of professionals. My hair is now apparently funky and just around my shoulders (I know you aren't meant to be over 40 with too long hair and I have been having it too long for too long). I think the tears have just stopped. Healf shock half hysterics. I really am not that attached to anything so its fine. She is a lawyer not a hairdresser, lol!!!

    A doctor told me botox is very good for depression - so that's got to be good. I just like the way it raises the eyes a bit and that way maybe you get to see clearly enough to trim your eyebrows if you need.

    I have never had anyone do my eyebrows. I do them every other day in case I find a stray hair but I am trying to keep them a bit fuller these days. I tried to colour my hair once and would never do it again.

    I am hanging on to whats left of my youth by my fingernails. Its all fun!! I jsut have to keep my daughter away from the scissors.

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  27. You know, I think I've seen a photo of you somewhere on this blog, and you're gorgeous! I'm with the others who suspect you're being a tad hard on yourself. You've got many great stories to share, and such a wonderful sense of humor ... you'll wow 'em, and they won't even notice your eyebrows! Have a wonderful time, Joanna!

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  28. Due to an unfortunate experience when I was in high school, I was afraid to mess with my eyebrows until about eight years ago. There are just some things I shouldn't be messing with.

    I get fairly regular pedicures because I'm too fat to bend over and paint my toenails. Giving yourself a pedicure should not leave you breathing heavy. Sad but true.

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  29. Ah, well, sometimes the dadgum budget forces us to make compromises, doesn't it? I'm sure you're perfectly beautiful without the botox, but, hey, everybody has something they need in order to feel pretty! How about highlighting those freshly-done brows with some bold eye makeup? Maybe that'll hold you until you get back on the botox track!

    Have fun on your vacation - you'll probably be too busy to even think about it!

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  30. My brows have gotten thinner! But now I think I need an intervention brow-wise to shape and shade... I tried to do it myself before and every time something's just a little "off" - like with a clown :)

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  31. I hear you, I'm off to the Bay Area and Yosemite on Monday and it's been too hot to get a waxing!
    I feel like a sasquatch, oh well.

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  32. I certainly sympathize with you; I don't know what is going on with my eyebrows anymore either!

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