A Little Bit Taboo

So... I was thinking about whether or not I was going to write a post about this... because the subject may be a little bit taboo..?? But it's my blog and I'm supposed to blog about my life and the big and small things about my life so I thought why not... and it would be interesting to get other people's thoughts on the matter... if anyone is willing to say anything that is... Anywhos... the topic for this post is WAXING! Namely Bikini Waxing! - The faint hearted and easily offended may want to stop reading.. but if not... let's carry on!!

So... I know plenty of ladies who wax and have a standing appointment with beauticians to keep themselves neat & tidy... From simple bikini waxes to "brazilians" to "hollywoods", I'm sure some of my lady friends have been through them all! I for one have always kept the trimming of the lady hedge a private, in home affair...

But, I have always wondered... being just a bit curious... if the grass is really greener on the other side and maybe waxing was really the way forward.....??  So when a voucher came up on one of my daily deal sites to "get me Summer and bikini ready" with a brazilian/hollywood and an eyebrow shape/tidy... I decided to take the plunge...

How bad could it be!?! I've plucked the occasional stray hair "down there"... I've survived tattoos... pain is really just a temporary thing... and as a female... we all suffer slightly in some form or other in the name of vanity... don't we??

Anyways, aside from the fact that there would be a stranger looking at and touching my privates... how bad could it really be!?!?! The payoff of up to 4/6 weeks of maintenance free was high on my priority...

I had booked an appointment last week because the voucher was due to run out at the end of last week... I showed up slightly early... slightly nervous... it's like going on an overly intimate first date... without the benefit of alcoholic lubrication for dutch courage!  I was shown to a room, told to take everything off from the waist down and to lay on the bed with a towel to cover up.... She left me in the room for what seemed like an eternity... (probably about 5 mins - now I don't know about you.. but it definitely does not take me 5 mins to get my kit off and lay down on a bed!! if there was any other formality I was supposed to go through, I a) was not told about it and b) did not see anything in the room to partake in any "freshening up".... ) She came back and instructed me to pop my knees out to the sides... and after a quick inspection declared... "too short! the hair is too short, maybe in a couple of days I could do it, but if I do it now, in two or three days you'll be hairy again.."  GAH!! *how embarassament!*

She kindly offered to extend my voucher and booked me an appointment for a week later.... and with that I was sent packing... so I went back yesterday for my appointment... probably a lot less nervous than the week before.. considering she'd already seen all there was to see, so to speak... Again she left me in the room for a good 5 minutes (I kept checking my watch, well, because, there's not much else to do when you're lying half naked in an almost empty room!)...

Upon her return, she got straight down to business... the wax went on... more wax went on... and the wax came off... YEOWCH!! Yet more wax went on.. and it felt really hot this time... more wax came off, more went on.. and so forth... then the tweezers made an appearance... and that was really really uncomfortable! There were times when it felt like she was pulling out entire bunches of hair... tho surely not!?! One assumes the wax got most of it!?!  She slathered on some sort of oil and declared "that's your bikini done"....

She then did a quick tidy of my eyebrows... which was great for cleaning up the finer hairs and also my mini monobrow (all the little stray hairs between the brows..)...  I checked my brows when I got home and there were quite a few little hair that I ended up tweezing...

As for my "hollywood" - it really wasn't as great as I thought it was going to be... it wasn't the clean and smooth result I was expecting or hoping for... there seem to be quite a few (albeit short) hairs that the wax left behind and there were a couple of bloody spots from where the wax or the tweezing had damaged the skin...

Now, I don't know if that is purely because it was my first go?? I have heard if you go regularly the results get better and the pain lessens?? Maybe it depends on the coarseness of the hair?? Maybe my beautician was just a bit on the violent side?? It also went quite red and was  tender to the touch.. so maybe my skin doesn't really like the wax too much??  Whatever the reason... I can't say I'm overly taken with the results... so unless I get a full 6 weeks off from grooming the beaver... I don't think it's something I was partake in again...

Do you wax?? Have you waxed?? What are your thoughts??

Also, has anyone heard of/tried "Vajazzling"??? I've seen a few salons offering it it... so far as I understand, you stick little crystals on yourself after a wax or shave... now a) isn't the whole point to be smooth? rather than have strange sparkly gems which I assume are a bit scratchy if you are the "other part" of a horizontal tango... and b) how long do these stickies last once you hop in the shower??  And really... as if waxing your sensitive area isn't enough trauma, you add insult to injury by putting glue on it!?!?  I'm curious to know if anyone's tried it and what the outcome was... I, for one, can think of better things to spend my pennies on than to jazzle my vajayjay (as Oprah calls it)...

-Wow, this post is wordy! I just previewed it.. good job if you're still reading!! *gold star for you!*

Jog Scotland 5k Challenge - Inverleith Park & Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh

The Jog Scotland Mascot!

SUPER cute!! :) 

(whoever was inside must have been melting in the heat tho!)

So as I mentioned in my previous posts we took part in the Jog Scotland 5k last night as part of our work Summer Party... yea.. they really make you work for it at my work eh??!!
It was a sunny and warm evening which was a welcome change from the rain we had over the weekend and on Monday, the course was quite picturesque as it looped through part of the Botanic Gardens then down around the pond at Inverleith Park..

I decided to try and run/jog as much as I comfortably could, I walk about 3k home after work most nights, so the distance seemed a bit daunting.. in so much as it was like a walk home and then almost all the way back to work again.. I wasn't worried about it as I often do full days of walking when I'm travelling, but it's just the thought of it being a "competition".. and not being able to stop and take a break! I took part in the Times Colonist 10k in Victoria, BC - also because of work.. (are you sensing a trend here?) but I walked most of it and it took me I think around about 2 hours to finish it.

One thing you need to understand (so you don't think I'm a big baby/drama queen!) is that I actually physically can't run very well... I have very flat feet, which results in me rolling my ankles and also my knees.. which has altered my gait over the years to the point where my knees don't track properly in the joint.. I have orthotic insoles from podiatrists, exercises from physios and all sorts.. I'm not just making this up! So running is not something I do often, or for enjoyment or even for fitness because it just causes PAIN! And not in the good way like after a hard workout...

Anyways.. here's some photos from the evening..

 

These photos were taken as I approached the finish line..

Team Photo Before

Running under a hedge "doorway".. Not sure if you can tell but after the doorway is like a tunnel made from bamboo plants where it  was nice and shady.. Very pretty!

By this stage of the race I had no idea if that 3k marker meant I had completed 3k or if I still had 3k to go... it really wasn't very reassuring either way!!!

The Scotty Dog greets you at the finish line.. 

I gave him a High 5 (yea, I'm cool like that)

YEAY!! You get a medal for taking part/finishing!!

Team Photo After

Noone looking too much worse for wear! Everyone still smiling! ; )

My time in case you were wondering was 38mins 15sec

Not exactly a world record but I'm pretty chuffed!!

ps. The random pictures on people's shirts are just to cover up numbers & logos.. in case you were thinking I'm a total weirdo that just puts random pictures on my photos!! :D

An ode to my "tree trunks"

{via}

So yesterday as I was going about my normal blog reading business when I came across this fabulous post over at monster cakes... (let it be known that I think she's pretty fantastic AND she loves Gilmore Girls AND she rocks the coolest pixie cut - tho she's growing it out at the mo but still looks fab! - and in my books, you don't really get much more awesome than that!)  Anywhoooos... (I'm going to stop before I sound like a TOTAL stalker.. oh too late?? nevermind... )

Moving right along!

I then left this message for her:

"I love this post! (I love all your posts.. to be fair.. ) but this one rings very true to me!

I've always had ginormous thighs and big calves.. (it's a nightmare trying to buy boots.. coz they just WILL NOT zip up... and ones without zips.. well.. let's just not talk about that ok?) but you are so right that they are such a blessing.. they have taken me on many adventures.. climbed boulders, rocks, Middle Eastern ruins.. they've allowed me to flail around on tree branches in the name of "climbing"... and I am going to follow your lead and cherish my legs for the tree trunks that they are.. keeping me firmly grounded.. (and it hurts more when you kick someone! HA! - HA! to all those with skinny beanpole legs that pack no punch!)"

Sorry if that last bit makes no sense.. the sense I'm trying to convey is people with tree trunks for legs do a lot more damage when they kick someone something than people who have skinny beanpole legs.. and if you are one of those with skinny beanpole legs... - well your consolation is that you can pull of skinny jeans with a lot more finesse and if that's not enough.. well TOUGH titties!! =p

She then left this message for me:

"I just had to tell you that I was cracking up when you said "tree trunks" on my blog, because that is the exact term used to describe them. From now on, I'll just remind myself that they are like that to keep me "grounded" and thankful. Thanks for the idea! And let's change together and be proud of the way we were made. : ) I think we can do it."

I think we can too!

I wanted to share this exchange with you all because I think we all have hang ups about our bodies.. big or small (hang ups.. tho I guess bodies as well)... and I think as long as we are healthy and our weight and size is not impacting on our health then we should feel blessed that we the majority of us are able bodied and our limbs function to the best of their abilities.. sure I'd like my thighs to be a bit smaller and my tummy a bit flatter, and one of my goals is still to exercise more and lose a bit of weight but on the other hand.. I also want to try and remember to be thankful...  

ps. tree pose is one of my favourites in yoga.. maybe it's because I have trunks for legs!! :)

Philosophical monkey, out~