Two things you didn't know about me and, chances are, neither will surprise you much.

1. Face Gel in My Hair

Over Labor Day weekend, my sister from Philadelphia came for a visit. Naturally, I encourage her to make herself at home and she knows that anything she finds that she wants is fair game.

At one point she remarked how much she loved my hair gel. Hmmm, I thought, hair gel. Which one could she be referring to?

Turns out, due to the French packaging which she didn't bother to read except for the small, familiar phase "gel" the product she was slathering through her tresses was some swishy Decleor skin gel that I got at some spa sometime when I was so woozy from a great facial that the woman could've talked me into spackle as "creme de corps."

So, much mocking of my sweet sister ensued. Until she left, and much like a five-year old whose curiosity must be sated, I tried it myself and, DAMN, that shit is awesome on the hair.

2. BBC RADIO

When I am in my office working (or in the same space calling it a studio and creating) what's pouring forth from the speakers of my computer is bbc radio.

It has always been this way. Ever since we got computers and discovered we could listen to radio I have been die-hard bbc. There really is no explaining it except to wonder if perhaps at that time in my life, living as I did in the wilds of the White Mountains far, far from streets where you could buy French beauty products, BBC Radio was like a lifeline to civilization. Perhaps I imagined myself a character in a Graham Greene novel-- straining to listen to Churchill over the radio static, desperate for words of encouragement.

Mostly I listen to Radio One. And, the song that has been my "end of summer" song (don't you have "end of summer" songs?*) just hit number one--maybe for the second week in a row? (obviously I haven't been paying attention)--and I'm saddened. Saddened of course because hitting the top of the charts is like playing Taps and this song was SUCH a part of the past few weeks as I moved into this space and the sun was still fat and hot and the fields thick and the air sweet.

It is a silly song which I'm sure you are sick to death of by now-- but I will always love it as it will always bring me back to this time in my life; a time that for me is exciting and new and full of creative possibility.

Excuse me while I go dance one more time to "I Don't Feel Like Dancin'."

*End of Summer Song = pop, silly, catchy, constantly on the radio as you have to go back to school, get back to school, have your first crush of the year, suffer mortification that you had a crush on such a loser, write it off to mind-altering substances, and never remember any of it until you hear that song years later.

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