Stressed Eyebrows

It’s not that I have ever had a uni-brow, in fact I’d been told on numerous occasions that I had nice eyebrows. I’ve been told that they’re nicely shaped and the arch compliments my face naturally, so I’ve always been fairly proud of them. Even more proud of the fact that I’ve never had to do anything to them. They’ve always just “been there”. That is, until December 2008.

I was at my neighbourhood salon getting primped for my trip to Jamaica when I, after my facial, made the comment that I looked like a movie star. “Not really”, she said in her East Indian accent.
“Well, no, not really like a movie star” I quickly corrected myself. “Why not?” I asked almost not wanting to hear her response.
“Your eyebrows” she said raising one of hers.
I looked into the mirror next to me and asked what was wrong with my eyebrows.
“Too bushy.”
Too bushy?! What’s that supposed to mean? I was in shock. “What do you mean ‘too bushy’?”
“Too bushy. They look like fluffy caterpillars on your face.”
Sal was so matter-of-fact that I didn’t know what to think, so I asked her what she’d do to make them look less insect-like.
She leaned over the pot of hot wax and told me to lie down again and while I lay there wondering if ripping hair off such a delicate area of my face was a good idea she already applied the wax to my brow with a toothpick. Then she ripped. Geezus!
I guess Sal felt badly for tormenting me because when she’d finished she very gently patted some soothing lotion onto my burning brow and smiled. “Now you look like Hollywood.”
I looked into the mirror again and saw two much thinner eyebrows staring back at me and I loved them. I’ve been seeing Sal every few weeks since then and have always been pleased with the results. That is until 4 weeks ago. Sal left the salon so I had someone else take care of my  caterpillars. She didn’t have the same soft touch as Sal nor was she as careful because when I got home and took a closer look I realized that one caterpillar was anorexic and the other looked broken. I’m not a terribly vain person, but I thank my hairstylist for giving me bangs to hide my embarrassing and uneven brows.
So I’ve been patiently waiting for the anorexic to gain some fullness and filling in the empty spaces with pencil until they were ready to be fixed. I decided today was as good a day as any to get them taken care of and googled “eyebrows in Yaletown” hoping to find the name of the salon I’d seen on Breakfast Television a few months ago. A few salons popped up but I still couldn’t remember the name of the one that was featured on the show so I chose one that had a good website and a couple of positive reviews.
I thought the name was pretty catchy, too Bombay Brow Bar.  A salon that promises to “rock your brows, Indian style” has got to be worth a try.

I walked into the tiny salon and was immediately greeted by a very gracious young woman sitting behind a desk and when she stood up they hit me:  her really beautiful brows. I looked around the room and noticed four aubergine armchairs positioned for conversation like one would in their own living room and on the aubergine walls was a plasma tv showing a colourful Bollywood movie.  I couldn’t help but feel comfortable.

After a quick discussion regarding my brows Ravy explained that the preference is to use the threading technique over waxing (which they do) and if at any time I’m uncomfortable to please say so and the Brow Sculptress will take a break.  No problem! She took my coat and Navi, my Sculptress sat me down in one of the aubergine armchairs.  This was the first time I’d ever experienced threading and was pretty excited. After showing me what she was going to do, the actual process took no time at all.  There was hardly any discomfort and the brow massage was better than any I’d received during a facial. Once Navi was finished her magic and before she let me go, she retouched my makeup and finished my brows so I was ready to face the world. I looked into the hand mirror she gave me and was in love with my slim caterpillars again.

For $23 I was treated to some wonderful pampering, a cup of chai tea and got to walk away feeling and looking great. I found out that Bombay has only been open for four weeks and the young woman who greeted me is actually one of the owners along with Amanda Sellers who handpicked and taught each Brow Sculptress. Will I go back? Definitely. If they can make me brush my bangs off my face to show off my curvy caterpillars then they’re worth the money and trek to Yaletown every few weeks.

Luger’s death always at the forefront of my brain

The following letter is my response to an article written by Vancouver Sun writer Iain MacIntyre.
On Saturday, February 13 MacIntyre wrote an article http://bit.ly/cKevSb about luger Nodar Kumaritashvili, who died in a crash during a training run on Friday. I’m not an avid reader of MacIntyre’s articles for a number of reasons, however, his title compelled me to scan it. Then I re-read it and re-read it again to make sure what my eyes were seeing were actually the horror my brain was registering.
I sent the letter to MacIntyre and included my contact information thinking he might even consider responding. I’m believing, though that he probably receives so much hate mail from readers he doesn’t even have the courage to open his inbox because I haven’t heard from him.

Mr. MacIntyre,

I am writing in response to your article in today’s Vancouver Sun regarding the tragic death of Nodar Kumaritashviti, specifically your opening and closing statements.
How dare you assume that I, other Canadians and members of VANOC will forget about this young man once Canada wins a medal. How dare you begin to assume what I felt and continue to feel when Mr. Kumaritashviti’s death was first made public.

“…and nearly as great a shame his host country will forget him as soon as Canada wins something.”
This statement is disgusting and uncalled for and my first thoughts certainly were not “Why these Olympics? Why us?”

Were your initial thoughts “Why us? Why now?”
Did you write that Canadians will forget about Mr. Kumaritashvili as soon as we “win something” because it is actually you who will forget?
Are you so wrapped up in your own antagonistic and negative thoughts that you want to bring down the rest of Canada to your level?

I understand that somehow you are fortunate enough to publicly voice your opinion but your opinion and thoughts are just that, your own. The only shame I feel is that you are somehow still lauded as a credible journalist expressing your personal vendettas for a major and now international newspaper.
Your agenda is pathetic.

I’m an outlaw

I broke the law this week and I don’t feel badly about it.

It’ was raining and dark, the cars were backed up along 152nd Street so that by the time I made it over the Port Mann Bridge from 108 Ave., 45 minutes had passed. The traffic was stop and go all along the Number 1 and there was an accident on the 1st Street exit, the exit I take. Coupled with the rain and cautious drivers there was no way I was going to make it to work on time.

So I changed lanes one last time into the HOV and zoomed past the constipated traffic. There was a pit in my stomach and sweat began to bead along my forehead as realized what I was doing. Exhilaration took over my body as my hands tightened around the steering wheel of my jeep; I felt anxious and my cheeks were burning. I was breaking the law and certain everyone knew. I was certain that the mini-van behind me was a cop ready to flash her headlights at me to pull over so she could slap me with a ticket.

I drove and I drove and noticed that a smile had crept across my face as the voice on the radio said the accident had been cleared from the exit I needed to take.  Relieved that I was going to be on time, my grip loosened and my face started to cool. The rest of the way was easy. I even stopped at the Starbucks for a soy latte as a  reward.

First time caller

After much personal debate I’ve decided to start a blog. I figure if I can read other people’s opinions, trivial information and personal experiences why shouldn’t I contribute to the world and invite everyone in to mine?
I’m funny and sarcastic and can tell a story or express myself  as well as the rest of them. Hopefully I  can keep you entertained enough for return visits maybe you’ll even share my blog with a friend or two.
So grab a beverage, sit tight for a moment and read.
Oh, you know this is all about me, right?