Weekly Wacky Webpage

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Hike

I took a hike around the campus hill, about 1:30 long. There's a low road which is the one I think I tried way back in sophmore year where we got lost in this flat grassy plain on a cloudy day so we couldn't tell which way was which, and the lack of a "downhill" didn't help. Today I decided to go for the high road, as I wanted the longer hike and the map said there were perpetually wet spots on the low road and it'd been raining lately. Good choice there, as there were a number of really mucky spots on the high road even.

There's less underbrush than I'm used to back home, which makes it harder to follow a trail (not that I've ever been good at it) b/c you can't use the color as easily. The trail blazes seemed to be more frequent in the other direction, so I kept turning around to check. There were also a couple trails that were unmarked on the map, but were marked on the trees by other colors or something. Lots of muck. No poison ivy, yay. Lots of cobwebs and bugs in my face (and one in my eye), but there don't appear to be mosquitos here at all.

There were a few bizarre signs of human presence. The only obviously explainable one were the branches forming lean-tos or windbreaks near places were it was clear the trail had been cleared of treefall. I'm guessing the Forest People club spent a few nights up there cleaning the trail up. They also moved the markers around a tree too big to cut, but didn't move all the markers, so I got confused. I'm not too good at following trails, did I mention? :-P At the far end of the trail, someone had smashed a lot of pottery. And near the beginning of the trail there was a tree that had had the core rot out, but was still alive. When I peeped inside the tree, there were a few nails nailed in (!), and on one of the nails, a keyring with two rusted keys (!!). It would've made a nice photo, but I didn't bring my camera due to the 50% chance of rain and looming thunderheads above. Good thing too, as it started drizzling while I was picking out fossil-filled rocks from next to the new dorm, and it came down hard right as I walked up to my place.

Things they don't tell you about coloring your hair

• If you have black hair, don't believe the color on any commercial hair dye packages, you can't do more than change the shade a smidge. Do at least the full time listed on the box.


• If your hair is black and you want inhuman colors, you'll have to bleach first in the pattern you want the colors to be. Then add color to the whole thing; it won't show on the black. If you've got light hair, you'll have to somehow mask the parts you don't want colored, or only apply the dye to the parts you do want colored - tin foil might do the trick, but see below.


• No, you can't do nice highlights on your own.


• Apply Vaseline liberally around your hairline - forehead, ears, nape of the neck. This prevents your face from turning colors as much.


• Make sure you have a hand mirror you don't mind getting dyed so you can check the back and sides.


• A comb or brush (again, one you don't mind getting colored) will help you spread the dye evenly.


• You may want spare plastic gloves - the ones that come in the package will get water in them and are a pain to put back on. If you're doing inhuman colors, the dye might not come with gloves at all. If you have a latex allergy, the gloves that come in kits are sometimes vinyl, and sometimes latex, so either open the kit first to check, or just buy the ones that work for you preventatively.


• Some kits require a plastic bowl for mixing; it should be disposeable, and cups will do as well.


• You will get dye on your shirt. Wear an old one, and cover your shoulders with an old rag on top of that. Use a clothespin to keep it on. Or go naked - it does come off your skin with some scrubbing.


• You're going to get dye everywhere else too. Move priceless items away from the bathroom. It comes right off of metal (such as faucets), but will stain porcelain and plastic sinks and tubs for a couple weeks (but it does wear off eventually).


• Don't worry about getting the dye on your scalp, you really can't help it, it doesn't hurt, and you can't see it.


• If you're bleaching, make sure you've got conditioner and shine product for daily use. These will help your hair feel less like Barbie's.


• Especially when using inhuman colors, use an old or dark-colored towel for your hair after showering for a few weeks. Also put an old/dark hand towel or a rag over your pillow at night so you don't turn it colors as well.


• Also for inhuman colors, use a swim cap when going into a pool. The color running is really obvious, and the chlorine can make the color turn nasty. It probably doesn't hurt to use a swim cap if you're dying human colors too.

By the time people are reading this, I may be purple my attempt at covering orange w/ purple (no bleach) has turned into stripes of maroon, purple, and black. And now I pack.

The truth behind Bush

in German, with subtitles