Saturday, May 10, 2008

Writing-Induced Agoraphobia

I approach most activities that involve leaving the house very differently depending on what I'm doing. If I'm working I embrace the shop, the pampering and the general outdoors. But when I'm playing hermit-writer I view the outside world with a jaded eye, preferring to stay in the womb of my flat. (At the weekends I'm more flexible though.)

Case in point - yesterday I wrote 1100 words in the morning, and then went shopping for a fancy dress costume for Blondie's 30th party tonight, got my eyes tested and my hair cut.

In retrospect it was a lot for a recluse to take on in one day. I'd made the mistake of wearing my winter coat as I could see gray clouds from my living room window. The sun never broke through - but the humidity was through the roof for Ireland and I ended up dragging the coat around Dublin city all day, trying to ignore the prickly heat and rising damp in my armpits. Rookie hermit mistake.

Then my optician told me that I'm blinder than I was last year, which means new glass lenses and contacts - and more money honey!

When I'm working I enjoy going to the hairdressers as it offers lashings of magazine reading, but things change when I'm a-hermiting as I cultivate gray highlights and rats tails because I can only afford to go every three months. I tried my best to ignore the pitying glances from the stylist while she hacked away at my extensive hair shrubbery.

But it was worth it - last night I dyed my hair and even put on some fake tan to cover my lab rat pallor, so now I'm finally presentable to the scary outside world!

10 comments:

Lane Mathias said...

lol at lab rat pallor!

When I'm writing I wish everything could be delivered, including children so I would never have to go out. Might not be that healthy though!:-)

Anonymous said...

Enjoy the weekend with your pretty new hair

XXYXX said...

Hullabalovely zests up her rich curly chestnut hair with dyes and paints her nails funky colours. Well done you for getting out a bit, Yvonne, and showing you can don outside camouflage.

Shame about the glasses/contacts, expensive.

Yvonne said...

Lane, I agree, everything should be delivered...

M&T, thanks!

Bobo, I'll be wearing fake nails tonight as I'm dressing as one of those teenagers who roam the streets in their pijamas. No funky colours though. ;)

Karen said...

Are you sure people are going to recognise you? I haven't been to the hairdresser's for ages. I've been trimming it myself, which is always a bad idea. Have a lovely weekend :o)

HelenMWalters said...

Ooh good for you. I do the hermit thing too, and also have to confess to cutting my own hair with the kitchen scissors because I have such a hairdresser phobia!

Yvonne said...

Karen, I had to tie my hair back as part of my costume so I couldn't show off the cut last night!

Helen, I wish I was brave enough to cut my own hair!

Angie said...

Yay, I'm not the only writer-hermit! I wonder why it is we like going out about town normally, but not during writing days?
Bummer about the optician, but hurrah for new haircuts. Hope you're enjoying your swishy hair this weekend. :)

Jenny Beattie said...

Ha, I love the lab rat pallor. Fab.

Hmm, I'm still reeling in shock from the £300 I spent on contact lenses in the UK!

Hope yours are cheaper!

Yvonne said...

Angie, it's weird isn't it? Left the house today though, was nice - probably because I'd got all my writing done already.

JJ, mine are cheaper - only because I wear my glasses all the time and only wear contacts on a night out.