I had 3 bad haircuts in a row but I didn't say that to the lady who cut my hair tonight. I just said they never cut enough off the back. I decided to get my ears cut out and the back shorter this time.

Well.....she cut around my ears and she cut in the back and it was looking like things were going well...then she pulled the hair out from the side and cut so close I thought she might as well of had the razor out. Yikes! I knew at that point it would be too short for me. I have a boy cut now. I feel naked and exposed....but the upside is that I won't have to get a haircut for probably 6 months now!

I just keep telling myself that it will grow out fast. In 2 weeks, I'll be okay with it. In another 2 weeks, it will be almost where I wanted it and in 6 weeks, it will be perfect!

The problem is, I gotta get my driver's license renewed within the next 10 days. You know what that means. The picture from hell. Actually, I like my last picture. I'd be happy if they could just use the same one.

Okay, enough of the pity party.

Wellllll...not really. Did I mention I told her I wanted it all the same length except for the cutout ears and shorter back? Did I mention that I told her I didn't want it any shorter in the front because I had already trimmed that part to where I wanted it? Did I mention that she stopped once and asked if that was enough or did I want more cut off and I said NO, this is good....and she still kept on cutting...and trimmed the front even shorter? But it's all even. She did do a good job on keeping it even.

Okay...done now.

I got home and Judith Connors latest book, Contemporary Tatting had arrived! There is a tatted teacup in there, with stated dimensions of approximately 2 1/2 inches each way in size 20 thread. I like this feature - the measurement of the sample and the size thread used. I don't buy that argument about how everyone's tension is different so you can't give measurements. If measurements were given more often, then each tatter would know if they habitually tatted tighter or looser and would be able to adjust accordingly. You have test swatches in knitting and crochet...why not in tatting? There are several advanced techniques which are also explained in text and diagrams at the beginning.

To be honest, I'm not enamored of advanced techniques these days. I like to tat for the pleasure of tatting. It's soothing and relaxing. When I want a challenge, then I go for the unusual techniques but the majority of the time, I want to make something pretty without standing on my head to figure out the directions. I find myself going more and more to the old books that kept it pretty simple. Split rings and split chains have a wonderful functional purpose but many of the techniques now are purely decorative or a new complicated way to achieve an old look. That said, I hope the designers that need that challenge keep at it because that's how the craft evolves. I'm just saying I'm happy with simple tatting for the most part.