September 9, 1999

Tonight are the MTV Video Music Awards. I have to admit that I'm pretty psyched to see them. They're just so, I don't know, groovy or something. All these big musical stars being colorful and interesting, and Chris Rock on hand to make jokes, and glitz and glamor, and a bunch of videos I haven't actually watched this year.. I can't wait.

I remember when I was a kid I would have killed to have been allowed to watch MTV. My mom and grandma thought it was a bad influence, so I wasn't allowed to watch, and man, that was when MTV was cool. I always used to hide behind the couch and peek out when my Uncle Mark was watching. It was like a window into the world of adults -- or what I thought was the world of adults, from the perspective of an eight-year-old.

Now I AM a grownup, or what passes for one, anyway, and I can watch MTV all day long if I want. Except now MTV sucks. I don't know if it sucks because now it's not forbidden, or if it really is just because they don't play videos anymore, or what. Maybe if I were an eight-year-old NOW, I wouldn't want to see videos, and the endless reruns of bad game shows and beach shows would seem appealing to me. All I know is that the magic is gone.. except for Video Music Awards night! The VMAs are still fun.

I guess I just like awards shows in general. I always used to make a point of watching the Emmys and the Oscars. I missed a few years while I was in college, because getting access to a television set was an iffy proposition, but now that I'm out and I have my own TV, it's no holds barred, let me tell you. The Emmys are pretty cool, although they were cooler when I actually watched most of the shows they were giving awards to. Now I'm like, "The Practice"? What the hell is that? But they're still fun. The Oscars are the best, though. I love the movies. Love love love love love them. I go to the movies usually at least once a week, and sometimes more. The Oscars are great because on that one night, you get to see all the important stars, all dressed up and looking star-like, and larger than life, and you get to make predictions and see if they come true, and they show those cool clips for the Lifetime Award people, and it's just awesome. Remember that one year when Jack Palance did one-armed pushups just to prove he still could? I loved that! And even if the host sucks, it's okay, because they're still the Oscars.

In other news. I went to a high-priced hair salon on Sunday and got a facial and a new 'do. I felt sort of self-indulgent about the whole thing, because honestly, who pays $150 to get their hair done and their face washed? But it was so much more than that. They pampered me, and treated me gently, and gave me a shoulder rub, and asked thoughtful questions about my facial care. It was wonderful. I highly recommend it. All women -- I don't care who you are, if you're anti-glitz, if you're a T-shirts and jeans person, it doesn't matter -- all women need to feel pampered every so often. And with a facial, you get your skin taken care of too, so everybody wins.

My hairstylist was great. I got my hair dyed red, and he kept telling me during the haircut that it was going to look "fucking awesome! This is going to be fucking awesome!" And he was right, it did look fucking awesome. It's sort of a deep, shimmery red, almost-but-not-quite too red to be real. I am very happy with it.

More later on my personal philosophy of beauty care, and how it's changed over the last several years. (subtitle: Why I Don't Wear Makeup and Yet Still Spend Lots of Money on My Hair.)

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