Today I’d planned to do a number of things like go to my favorite hair stylist, probably get a manicure and run some other girly errands. But as luck would have it, my plans got all knocked out of place and I ended up doing none of those things.

 I sort of had an epiphany…why don’t I just go home and treat myself to some alone time, get beautified all while saving money.

While in high school and college, when money was hard to come by, I remember doing all the beauty essentials myself. Thanks to my mommy who is a barber and used to be a hair stylist, I picked up some invaluable lessons when I was younger…perm, treat, colour…the works! I know how to do it all. When I can’t make it to my salon I also make my own magic, so pulling out the box of Olive Oil perm kit is nothing new to me. But today was different…I was home alone, no one to bother me…just me and my lazy shih tzu Panda. I plugged in the iPhone, set the music to shuffle and let technology take its course. Before I knew it I was bumpin and grindin to R. Kelly, doing the Cupid Shuffle and singing to the top of my lungs to Mariah Carey’s “I Give My All.” All this while smearing that creamy crack through my roots.

When I finally caught myself, I realised how therapeutic a kitchen beautician session could be.

I rinsed, treated, wrapped and dried as Trey Songz screamed that he wanted to “Dive In.” I guess he didn’t get the memo — I was keeping my own company today! Next it was time to paint my nails…so many colors to choose from! I finally settled for this blush pink/coral tone from Aldo called “Pink of me.” No matter how good of a paint job I do there’s that one nail that ALWAYS smudges! despite that downfall — Today was a good day, in the words of Ice Cube.

Maybe my thwarted plans to sit in the salon all day listening to gossip and reading stale magazines paid off. It allowed me to reintroduce myself to someone I hadn’t spent time with in forever…me!