I dyed my hair yesterday for the first time in 3 years. I don’t know why keeping it the same color so long felt like such an accomplishment but somehow it did. As if maintaining my actually very mousy blowne hair was a rebellion against societal dictations of what makes for a good color. Truth is my natural hair color sucked and it was overdue to do something about it. I’m officially blonde now, not the dirty dishwater of the day before and even though it’s not the blonde I was originally aiming for I have to admit it’s growing on me. Change is a good thing.

When I make these insignificant changes it makes me think of all the insignificant and not-so-insignificant changes which have brought me to where I am in my life. Where would I have been today if I had said “No” instead of “Yes”. Did you ever go through a phase where you read those interactive novels? The kind where you get to the end of the chapter and choose whether you go up the stairs or through the door on the right. I always cheated and read it both ways but you can’t really do that with your life. Or can you?

I was raised in a smaller city in Wisconsin with girls a couple years younger than me. One named Nikki had just turned 16 when I left for Madison. About a year ago she eloped with a jerk and claimed to be blissfully happy. They moved into a mobile home in the next town over. A month ago they got divorced. She is a 20 year old divorcee back at home living with her parents. He ran off with some other girl and left her high and dry. What if I had picked the door on the right?

I was in a car accident on Thursday which makes it sound more dramatic than what it was. An elderly woman ran into me while I was parallel parking. It dislodged a disk in my back and I had to go to the chiropractor today. Our family has gone to the same chiropractor for the last ten years. He has become a family friend of sorts, even though he is half an hour away now I still take the time to go to him because I know he can fix whatever is wrong. Today I learned what could have been through the door on the right had I remained in the Watertown area.

Dr. T has a thriving practice in a small town to the west of Watertown. He works a four day week has two children and a sweet blonde wife. He is also a hick. I didn’t realize this until today. Let me explain. As he starts my adjustment we exchange pleasantries the general hows-the-family-where-are-you-working-now. After we run out of the general banter he starts in on their latest family weekend activity. Hunting feral cats from the back of his pick-up. I AM SOOO NOT KIDDING!

In case your ever interested in this funtime activity let me break down the logistics. You will need:
-A Pick-up
-A blonde chick(wife, or girlfriend)
-A German Shepard
-A Country Road
-A Feral Cat
-A Confederate Flag Sticker (so as not to be confused as the common Sunday Driver)

So here’s how it works. You put the chick and the dog in the cab of the truck. You drive down the country road until you find a feral cat skulking along in the underbrush. Then you and the chick rile up the dog till he’s howling with anticipation. Then you open the side door of the truck cab and the dog will leap out in pursuit of the cat. The cat in turn will leap about ten feet into the air and run flat out to the nearest tree where it will firmly ensconce itself till the dog wanders back into the truck and you lumber down the road in search of the next victim.

So y’all be glad I didn’t take the door to the right.