Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Rite of Passage (sort of)

Over the years (& as I realized yesterday, I've had a lot of them) one experiences all sorts of rites of passage. Bar Mitzvas, 1st Communions, specific b-days, the 1st wet dreams, or the development of body hair are all greeted w/ a sense of accomplishment. However, it's only the last 1 on the list that got me to log in today. I 1st started going grey while in 7th grade. Throughout high school, I plucked them so as to look younger, I guess. Finally, I stopped caring & accepted the fact that grey hair is in my future; I even experienced my 1st grey facial hairs last year. What happened yesterday began a whole new trajectory for me though. I think I may have begun the long decent towards death. I was getting into the shower & found 3 greys on my chest. What's next but greys in the pubes? And then of course, the coup de grace of all hair issues... the ears. I suppose I can deal w/ the pube issue through a strict "Brazilian Only" policy, but that kind of scares me. Once the hair on the ears starts though (& I think it may be any day), I guess it'll be time to start digging my whole. It's funny too because so many of my friends see me as the young Turk in the group, but a few grey chest hairs can really alter ones perception of himself. Pretty soon I'll be looking like this guy... if I don't already.

19 comments:

Matthew said...

My story is pretty much the same - and found a chest hair last week that was 1/2 gray, 1/2 brown. NOT looking forward to the 1st gray pube...

Let's rent a backhoe, I hate digging with shovels.

Anonymous said...

I suppose I've had a few grays on my head, but the only place I've noticed them is in my beard. I've got a bunch there actually. Is that weird or is it weird that you got them on your head first?
You'll never look as good as that guy on the bike by the way.

Andre said...

I always assumed that they start on the ehead, but I really have no idea what the common grey hair starting point is.

I know I'll never look as good as the dude on the bike. It's a shame.

Liz Peltier Moyer said...

I have prided myself on being the last of my friends to not have greys, but since being in Japan, I have found a handful. It is really a jarring experience.

Was that man riding the bike, or just posing?

Anonymous said...

Have you tried the Strawberry Cheetos yet Elizabeth?

ypsipearl said...

Youngsters, trust me, you will get used to it. And some people look much more striking with silver hair, think Arlo Guthrie, or David Byrne or Emmylou Harris...

Anonymous said...

Steve Martin!

Liz Peltier Moyer said...

Stacey you definitely look striking with a few silvers.

And Jason- No I haven't tried the strawberry Cheetos. I have seen some weird varieties of Pringles and Kitkats, but no Cheetos yet. I will keep my eye out.

Unknown said...

No greys here, my hair's just fleeing!

ypsipearl said...

And your mother! You've got the good silver hair genes going on.

ypsipearl said...

is there such a thing as Brazilian ear wax? Bwahaha!

I'm very commenty today.

Anonymous said...

A Brazilian is waxing everything bald right? It's weird that it's called that because a Brazilian would never do that. They'll go with the landing strip, but waxing it all would be really weird to them. They don't even like to shave their legs.

Andre said...

I've always wondered why it's called that. It seems like a very American thing to do.

Anonymous said...

I guess it's because Americans think that you should wax it all if you're going to wear a Brasilian cut bikini. But like I said, Brasilians don't do it. And hardly any Americans wear Brasilian cut bikinis. Americans are dumbasses.

Andre said...

Yes!

You are correct, sir!

Liz Peltier Moyer said...

I thought the Brasilian was the strip.

Andre said...

Brasilian is "hairless" from hole to hole.

Anonymous said...

ya spelled "hole"=grave with "w". oops!--just another indication of the "infallibility of the teacher! :)
love you gray hairs and all. I have several out the top of my head. Pete does NOT want to discuss gray hairs and I misread Jason's comment RE strawberry cheetos as Strawberry CHEERIOS. I need more coffee.

Andre said...

I spelled it right in the comments section twice, so I'm +1 at the moment.