Mid-Week Partying

Mid-week partying is not for the faint-hearted. It is only suitable for the young ones. Or for those who don't have to go to work the next day. Luckily I fall into the second category. (Well, even the first too!)

So I was out at a club last night. On a Wednesday. Till 4am. It was helluva party nonetheless! Brought back lotsa memories of the days when I was clubbing till 4am and waking up at 7 to go to school. How did I ever do that? Ah, it's good to be young and full of energy. And sleep was definitely not a priority then.

I attempted to get out of bed -- four times. No wait, was it three? Or five? I lost count because I was basically climbing in and out of bed all day today. Woke up at 10 to have a quick breakfast which ended up in a struggle between swallowing the food and trying not to puke last night's alcohol. My head was spinning and my ears were ringing. So I decided that I needed the bed again. I laboured agonisingly to get out of bed several times after to get some work done, but to little success. I decided that today will be useless trying to be productive. I'm just too hungover.

Oh but how I miss mid-week partying! Lotsa fun memories of those carefree school days and brash youthfulness. At that age, going clubbing was a religion as it was cool "to see and to be seen" mixing with the popular crowd. A great night out meant getting wasted. Turning up at the school assembly the next morning with bloodshot eyes and reciting the national Pledge with alcohol breath meant you had partied hard.

But these days, clubbing is more of a personal choice than a social pressure. I enjoy letting my hair down with a few moves on the dance floor. I like getting excited about what to wear for the evening and getting my hair done for the party. I love indulging in the girly gossips with my sistas at the bar, or throwing flirty glances at yummilicious strangers across the room. Being a fun drunk, a few drinks always kick the party to a new high! (Now kids if you are reading this, if you drink, don't drive.)

If you are one of those "I'm happily married/in love, I don't need to club anymore"-couple, I don't even wanna begin telling you what you are missing out. If you club just to hook up sweet young things, this entry is not for you. *coughshamelesscough* If you party just to get drunk, here's one word for you -- sad. But if you club because you enjoy a good night out shaking your tushy on the dance floor, indulging in the great company of like-minded pals, getting high on life, you are one who brings the party with you wherever you go! You celebrate life! And you live it up! (Send in your application here to be my partying mate!)

Now I have to go nurse my hangover.

The Other The One

Feeling emo today and realising I'd probably not get any work done after running my errands in town, I decided to get my hair done. I always fix my hair -- cut, colour, rebond, treatment, you name it! -- when I come back to town since I only trust my hairdresser when it comes to my tresses.

Miss Say has an advice with regards to your crowning glory: Your hairdresser is one of the most important persons in your life. Treat him/her well.

You won't find your ideal hairdresser instantly. You have to experiment different hairdressers, visit various salons, endure bad cuts, burn plenty of moolah at expensive professional-use hair products which promises shampoo-ad-worthy hair. Eventually, if you are lucky, you will find that perfect hairdresser -- The One, for you. Then stay with him/her. Till death do you part.

Here's some unconventional tips to look out for in your hairdresser:

1) Delivers results
Basically he should does what his job requires him to do -- cut/colour/etc. A decent job, if not spectacular. If you trying out a new hairdresser, he must at the very least does what he promises to do. If he says a certain cut will frame your face nicely, it'd better does that! I'm not saying he ought to be a magician and miraculously make your face less chubby with a wave of his scissors. But it should be somewhat close -- some obvious deliverable you can see and agree to.

2) Does not hard-sell
Very important rule.
This is a hairdressing for goodness sake, not sales. No decent stylist should behave like a salesman and persuade you relentlessly to sign up for hair packages! They may recommend certain treatment or products, but only once. I hate to spend four hours in the salon chair feeling jittery about when he'll find a new "monthly special" package to recommend me again. No thanks. And only no thanks, once.

3) Chats with you, but not too much
The hairdresser should treat you feel like a frequent flyer with special privilege reserved only for the regulars. These could be asking about the holiday trip you mentioned during your last trip to the salon, or about your pet dog, etc. But more importantly, s/he must not chat incessantly. I like to enjoy having someone shampoo my hair and massage my scalp, and I like to have these done in peace. So if your hairdresser is a chatterbox, consider being a little "unfriendlier" or colder so s/he gets it. Do it at your own risk (of the relationship!).

4) Make helpful recommendation
I wanted to get my whole hair recoloured and rebonded today. But my stylist said only the roots need to be fixed. "You sure?" I asked. He reassured saying he wouldn't turn down money if he could. So he did the minimal work on the roots. And indeed my hair looks like its got a fresh colour boost now that the roots -- and only the roots -- are fixed!

5) Discuss with you prior to any action
This could be either the cost of any product/service, or explaining the service procedure. A good stylist may even go into explaining why certain products is more suitable for your hair quality than others. Never allow the stylist to do anything to your hair without first consulting you. And never be shy to ask about the price first. You should decline if you don't feel comfortable paying for that product/service. And the stylist should not push it. This is the reason why I kept going back to my stylist, he's great with talking me through each step -- he even checks if I'm rushing for time so he can adjust the time needed for leaving the chemicals on my hair. Or asks if the smell of hair chemical is too strong for me.

6) Regular's discount
My hairdresser gives me discounts or promotional price without me having to ask. That's the best part about keeping a regular and responsible hairdresser. You know both your hair and your wallet are taken care of. Today, my stylist even gave my hair a special treatment free-of-charge! He won some hair products in a styling competition and isn't at all stingy in sharing the winning. He rubbed the product into the hair meticulously, as if I was paying for that service. Now that's what I call a great hairdressing experience!

7) Male hairstylist
One last tip I learnt from a girl friend ten years ago. Get a male hairstylist (if you are a girl). Female stylist tend to be task-focused and is less delicate with your head. Male stylists are gentler with ladies' tresses and won't pull out a lock of your mane while combing through it. Over the years, even when I change my stylist, I still request for another male stylist. I promise you this is the most useful tip I've ever learnt. Gay or straight, doesn't matter. But isn't it uber cool like to boast of a gay hairstylist on your speed dial?

How To Make New Friends

Whoever laments that it is difficult to make new friends at our twirty-something age, I'd just like to retort that it is not. It is easier than asking your boss for a promotion, it is not as hard as waking up at six in the morning, and it take more skills to scrub your bathtub when you have perfectly manicured nails than to make new friends.

Just be out there! Be open to going to a concert with your friend's friend's friends, or taking up tennis class with your cousin's colleagues, or meeting up for drinks with your sister's boyfriend's friends. Be open to invitations, and just have fun! When you simply throw yourselves out there and expect nothing but a fun time for yourself, you will attract happy people into your life. You will make new friends along the way -- without even trying.

It has been just over a week since I arrive home and even without planning, an array of activities has been lined up for me. Last week, a girl friend invited me to wakeboard with her boyfriend. I went along even though I haven't done it in years. Afterall, it'd just be a few good laughs should I submarine-d instead of ride the waves. Her boyfriend brought a friend along and after sharing a few (lame) jokes during the boat ride, we were camera-whoring like old friends do.

Last Saturday, my best friend's colleague celebrated her birthday at one of the most popular club in town. My best friend invited me to hang out with her Engineering department colleagues. Despite initial suspicion it would be an uneventful evening, her colleagues turned out to be dancing kings/queens. They were welcoming and chatty, and I learnt more than a few internal jokes and scandals.

Another friend invited me to a gig last night. It was a new album launch gig by a local band of which one of the member is his friend. I know neither the band nor the friend. I have never even attended a gig before! But it didn't take me long to agree to go. Always say yes, if you can, someone once told me. You never know what opportunities life holds for you. And indeed, I met three amazing girls at the gig. They were my friend's university friends. Upon seeing I was left alone at the bar when my friend went for a smoke outside, they invited me to join them at their table. I did, and they made special effort to include me in their conversations. We laughed, goss-ed, drank, and promised to stay in touch when the evening ended.

Throw yourself out there to allow life to open up doors for you. Have a soda the pub with your colleagues even if you don't drink. Have a go at the Pilates class which your best friend has been inviting you to try. Movie night with your friend's poker friends? Why not? You'll be surprise how easy it is to meet new people, and how many folks out there are open to making new friends just like you are.

Remember that everyone is just as uncertain about making new friends too. I am not one that advises people to "just be yourself". (I'll stay in bed all day if I'll just be myself!) You need to push yourself just a little more. My best advice: Be a little more chatty when you meet new friends. Don't just speak only when asked. Do the asking too. Then listen and respond. Everyone likes to talk to someone who seems interested. (And interesting!) Be that someone. It's that easy to make new friends.

I'm loving my new friendships, the excitement of joining new activities, the prospect of knowing there's a world of friends-who-don't-know-one-another-yet.