A buzz cut

Today I cut my hair. A buzz cut. I was so worried it would be a Britney Spears moment.

I've been going to the same barber for a number of years now. It took a while for me to find one I liked. You see, I want a buzz cut. A nice simple buzz cut. The problem I ran into is that most places that I went to that know something about a good buzz cut also double as a "Right-wing, Red-State, Sportsman's Club, Chest beating, Do you want a porn magazine?, I'm more manly than you" barber shop. Going to a Great Clips really annoyed me. There, most times it was a woman who gave the buzz cut. I'm not trying to be sexist, but for whatever reason I was never happy with these cuts. There was just part of me that said "You just don't get it." (BTW--I did have a great barber, NOT stylist, once who was a woman who did a great buzz cut. But she specialized in men's hair. I think that was probably the point. She had done it enough to really figure it out.)

What I want is an old-man Italian barber shop. This is different from the type of barber shop I described above. They are (or were) common in the area around Pittsburgh where I grew up. This was a man's place, but not in a "I have to prove my manhood" kind of way. It was a place that said (without speaking) "You--you Italian. This is an Italian Barbershop. Be comfortable. You were born knowing how to act. No need to prove. How short do you want it today?"

A Buzz Cut is like Good Italian cooking. It is actually quite simple. The skill is knowing EXACTLY how much and EXACTLY when to do something.

My problem has been I live in Minnesota. There aren't a lot of Italians up here. But I finally found a Scandinavian barber shop I liked. It's a man's place, but relaxed. And they know how to give a good buzz cut. There are two barbers there I really like. But they are both nearing retirement (or actually past it). They have a new guy (who is probably my age). I've had a couple haircuts with him, but each time I'm not happy with the buzz cut I get. Now the barber I like the most is only working on Saturdays and the other one I like only works once or twice a week. Sigh.

So, I decided to take matters in my own hands. A buzz cut. It is the simplest of haircuts. We have a trimmer from back when the boys were younger. I figured if I really screwed it up I'll go find a barber (but not the place I normally go to) and have them fix it. I'll use the longest trim guard so there will be some slack to fix if needed.

I did it. Just followed the contours of my head. I kept telling myself "Take it slow. Don't push. Don't force." I walked upstairs to show Wendy. She was shocked...

"Wow, it looks really good" she said in great surprise. Wendy and I have been married long enough for her to know sometimes you just have to let me make a mess of things and then go fix it. I think she was expecting that today. But instead... "You look like you do when you come home from the barber."

There's part of me that is proud and happy. Plus I probably saved about $25 (with tip). But there is part of me that still wants a good old Italian barber.

(However, Wendy pointed out: "You know, you'll still need to go back sometimes to fix that beard of yours.)