I love to cook. I always have. I think I was born with a spatula and a frying pan in my chubby little fingers. When I was a kid I would come home from school and watch Julia Childs. While other kids watched cartoons, I was tuning in to The Galloping Gourmet, Yan Can Cook and Too Hot Tamales. You can imagine my delight when they came out with the Food Network. They are great, aren’t they?
I loved pretending I was on a cooking show and I was teaching millions of home viewers how to boil pasta and make sauce. The extent of our spice rack and the items in our pantry did leave something to be desired. My sauces consisted mostly of Country Crock Margarine, Dried Italian seasoning and if I was lucky, milk. I spent hours trying to perfect a technique I learned on The Frugal Gourmet. Have you ever tried to poach an egg in boiling water. It’s hard. Along with being a child chef, I was also a latch key kid, which means I was home alone with my sister Rachel, a lot. In this particular instance she was maybe 13, which means I was 9, maybe 10. I was bored. BORED, ok? I read once that when you are bored it simply means there is a need that you have that isn’t being met, and you should identify that need and meet it. I have a need to cook, ok? So here I am. Little 10 year old Bekah, bored out of my mind. What to do while sister Rachel plays in mom’s make up and clothes?? I’ll cook something, is what I thought. I opened the freezer to see what we had to cook up. We had ice, Drumstick Ice Cream Novelties and a very old, frost-bitten semi bag of shoestring fries. Don’t worry, they weren’t Ore Ida, they weren’t even the crinkle cut ones, or the waffle ones. This was before waffle fries hit the scene. So I have a bag of fries to cook. I also have the frying pan I was born with and some oil in which to fry delicious fries. So I turn on the burner, yes gas stove, and put the pan on it and oil in the pan. This was a standard size frying pan, and I put maybe a 5 second pour of vegetable oil in the pan. I was beyond measuring things. Have been for along time now. So I’m waiting for the pan to get hot and I couldn’t remember how to tell when oil is hot enough to fry things in it. Now don’t be silly, I read the directions on the back of the bag. It said a couple of things about frying in oil, like heat it to a certain temperature and then something, something, something, blah, blibbity blah. I heard on one of my cooking shows to see if a pan is hot enough you just flick some water in it and if the water quickly boils, or ’dances’ then your pan is ready. Ready for what, exactly? I have a philosophy when I cook, and in a lot of things in my life: More is Better. Abundance, its actually a core value. You can never have enough_________ fill in the blank. So the more heat, the better. The more oil, the better. The more butter, the better. The more sour cream, the better. The same is true for cheese, cilantro and many, many more things. So like the inexperienced chef I was, I flicked some, ok a lot of water into a smoking hot pan of oil. Does any one want to take a guess about what happened next? Within seconds the oil and water began to pop and spark. SPARK??? I had no idea what was happening and I figured if I just backed away, it would all be over soon. I was very, very wrong. The popping sparks soon turned into a huge pan fire. A very loud, hot pan fire. I screamed for Rachel. She heard my desperate screams and came running to the kitchen to see what all the commotion was about and saw it. The flames were shooting up from the pan! Rachel is so cool in a crisis. She immediately called me a fool, gave me ‘2 for flinching’ and put flour over the flames. She had learned in Home Ec that week, if you can believe it, to cover grease fires. Now, I need to paint this picture of frantic fire extinguishing properly. I like the word frantic, screaming comes to mind, lots of jumping up and down, slamming things around and general chaos. There was nothing calm, cool or collected about they way either of us reacted. Looking back it was hilarious. After Rachel put the fire out she instructed me to clean up the mess. Naturally, I mean, she saved both our lives. I happily cleaned up the kitchen amidst sobs and aftershocks of terror.
The next matter on the list.
1. Start grease fire…check.
2. Put out grease fire…check.
3. Clean up flour mess from said grease fire…check, check.
4. Tell Mom you almost burned the house down……
There are a few situation when your stomach immediately drops to your descending colon. This is one. Having the arduous task of telling your Mom you almost burned the house down. Some other ones are actually burning the house down, and calling the bank to get your balance and you are over $200 over-drawn.
I feel like we called her at work. Let me give you some advice, when you almost burn the house down, don’t tell your Mom while she’s still at work. Don’t tell your Mom anything while she’s at work. She was, needless to say, upset and I was gonna get it when she got home. My sister and I get our calm, thoughtful nature from our Mother. The word overreact comes to mind. But this is why I love my Mother. Yes, she was very upset with me that I set her kitchen on fire. She was very upset that I was playing with the stove. She was also very upset that I could have been hurt. On the other hand she did something very special for me that day. After all of the commotion she wasn’t going to tell my Step-Father what I had done. We cleaned up all of the evidence and he was none the wiser. He actually died and he never ever found out I set his house on fire.
My mom was always doing things like this. My Step Dad wasn’t physically abusive by any means, but he was mean. She was protecting me from harm, which I deeply appreciate. She knew that the fear of almost burning the house down and the trauma of almost setting myself on fire was consequence enough. My mom is a smart lady. It was her birthday yesterday and I want her to know how much I appreciate her. Things could have been a lot worse that day, and everyday before that, and everyday after. I am thankful for her and all that she has taught me, shown me, protected me from and put me through. I am who I am today because my Mom. I like it and I like her. Thank You, Mom for everything.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Sunday, October 9, 2011
My long road to Paul Mitchell
Within a month of living in Salt Lake City, I got in a car accident. You may attribute this to the lack of good drivers in Utah. Unfortunately, in this story that is the case. I’m usually a good driver. It was a minor fender bender, my fault, I turned left in front of a moving automobile. ‘What a stupid thing to happen to me’ I thought. Well, in hind sight, this seemingly stupid fender bender changed the course of my life. It was just what I needed. Just what the doctor ordered. It was the catalyst for the action that I absolutely had to take. So there I was, waiting to turn left on a green light, thinking, “What the heck am I gonna do with my life…” I was 20, I had just moved to SLC, I was working at a job I thought was stupid, I didn’t have any friends…I blindly started to turn and KABLAM!!! A car smacked right into me…like I said, My fault.
I’m gonna speed this up a little for you, that accident postponed my decision to return to hair school. Thank God! At the time I thought the accident was stupid, now I see it as a blessing, perhaps the biggest yet. I had started attending cosmetology school while I was living in Las Vegas. Upon moving to Salt Lake I thought it would be a better financial choice for me to delay starting again. After the accident I chose to work full time to pay off bills and get another car. Turns out I was upside down in my loan…super. A friend of mine worked at TGI Fridays and got me a job waiting tables. A met a girl there who had just graduated from hair school and was working in a salon. Her name was Liz. God bless you, Liz. We became friends and I started to go to her to get my hair done. She had gone to a school called Hairitage College of Beauty. Notice the spelling?? Very clever. She told me that when I was ready to go back to school that I should go there. That’s where she went and that’s where her friends went. Ok, Liz, I’ll go to Hairitage when I’m ready.
I tried many things before hair. I started out wanting to be a Dental Hygienist. Something about invading people’s personal space really does it for me. There was the brief desire to be a medical assistant, then a CPA (huh?) a Humanities teacher and then a manager of Jamba Juice. The bottom line is, is that I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. Until an angel of the Lord appeared to me and told me to be a Hair Dresser. That didn’t happen, it was my sister Rachel who suggested it. Great suggestion!
Through many experiences, some good, some not so good, I came to finally attend Beauty School again. It took me 5 years to go back.. Many things had happened. I pride myself on being a late bloomer, doing my own thing, takin’ my time. A certain Dixie Chicks song comes to mind…
Compared to others (which I don’t actually recommend comparing yourself to others) it took me a long time to get my life together. But for me it was perfect. Just what the doctor ordered. I got to do a lot of things in that 5 years. I traveled, I worked, and I went on a Mission for the LDS church, (blog for another time). When it was time to go to hair school I called my friend Liz. She told me that her friends were turning Hairitage in to a Paul Mitchell School. I had met these friends of hers and they were two of the most amazing people I had ever met. Back in the day I would go see Liz at this fancy little salon called Lunatic Fringe. This place was different than any other place I had ever been. As soon as you walked in the door you were transported to a much cooler, fashionable time and place. I had never seen anything like this before. It was my first taste of how cool-looking hairdressers could be. I had no clue up until this point. Everyone looked like a rock star. Cool hair, cool clothes, cool make up, cool tattoos, cool shoes, cool accessories, cool loud music. Everything and everyone in that place was the epitome of cool. So when she told me that those cool people were opening a cool school I knew the stars had aligned and it was finally time for me to join the cool club.
You know how your whole life you’re looking for some place to call home, some people to call yours, a culture you belong to? Paul Mitchell is mine. You know how you go to a gathering of your people and the minute you walk in you feel every fiber of your being connected to them? This is how I feel whenever I walk in to a Paul Mitchell Hair Show, School, Salon or Event. I am home. These are my people. I belong and I am accepted. I know I can be anywhere in the world, Disneyland, New York City, Houston, Dallas, Orlando, Las Vegas and if I see another Paul Mitchell hair dresser, or they see me, we are connected.
It’s a challenge to list all of the ways Paul Mitchell Schools and the people involved in it have changed my life for the better. I’m going to attempt the top 5. We’ll see how it goes.
1. The Culture.
First and foremost. A be nice, accept others, focus on solutions and improvements culture. When people come first, success will follow, the mission statement of the Schools. The greatest thing about this is when you help others, when you put them first, you unconsciously do the same for yourself, vastly improving the quality of you own life. It’s a win, win situation.
2. The People.
It would be impossible to list everyone’s name that has a positive impact on my life that I’ve met at Paul Mitchell. Just know that if we have met, YOU have improved my life. The people that I get to spend every day with are amazing people. I marvel quite a bit at how lucky I am. I wonder, “What did I do to deserve this?” But in a good way. Lots of people wonder that same thing, but in a bad way. I GET to go to work everyday. I get to hang out with the cool club everyday! I love it!
3.The Magic
At Paul Mitchell schools we are encouraged to Create Magic everyday. With everyone. Not like casting spells and hocus pocus, but making people feel good and important. That is magic. It’s all about the little things. Little things bring about great change. Change is good. I learned that at Paul Mitchell, too.
4. The Opportunity
I love this word. In every situation we have some. I have been given and have taken most of the opportunities afforded at and by Paul Mitchell Schools. I have met amazing people, been all over the country, participated in incredible things. I am a member of an elite education team. I am constantly learning and shifting. One big lesson I have learned is to say ‘yes’ to opportunity. If I don’t someone will. Shawn asks, yes is the answer. I have created my own opportunities. It’s easy, you just ask yourself, “Where is my opportunity to ________?” Fill in the blank and make it happen.
5. The Reward
I have learned at Paul Mitchell that people are motivated by different things. I know that I am motivated by Reward. What am I gonna get out of this? I will either silently ask my self that, or I will ask out loud. There is always something in it for you. There is always a Reward. My reward has been a blessed, full, happy, exciting life. Blessed with people, relationships, opportunities, education. Full of laughter, fun, learning and growth. Happy to go to work everyday and soak up each others coolness. Excited for what’s next. Excited that there is stuff up next.
I may have taken the long way, but I’m so glad I did. I am so glad I waited. I am so glad to be where I am. To wrap up, I never hit the road in a pink RV with start on the ceiling, but that song speaks to me. I don't do what everybody else does, but I love the path I've chosen cause it's led me here, with you fine people.
I’m gonna speed this up a little for you, that accident postponed my decision to return to hair school. Thank God! At the time I thought the accident was stupid, now I see it as a blessing, perhaps the biggest yet. I had started attending cosmetology school while I was living in Las Vegas. Upon moving to Salt Lake I thought it would be a better financial choice for me to delay starting again. After the accident I chose to work full time to pay off bills and get another car. Turns out I was upside down in my loan…super. A friend of mine worked at TGI Fridays and got me a job waiting tables. A met a girl there who had just graduated from hair school and was working in a salon. Her name was Liz. God bless you, Liz. We became friends and I started to go to her to get my hair done. She had gone to a school called Hairitage College of Beauty. Notice the spelling?? Very clever. She told me that when I was ready to go back to school that I should go there. That’s where she went and that’s where her friends went. Ok, Liz, I’ll go to Hairitage when I’m ready.
I tried many things before hair. I started out wanting to be a Dental Hygienist. Something about invading people’s personal space really does it for me. There was the brief desire to be a medical assistant, then a CPA (huh?) a Humanities teacher and then a manager of Jamba Juice. The bottom line is, is that I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. Until an angel of the Lord appeared to me and told me to be a Hair Dresser. That didn’t happen, it was my sister Rachel who suggested it. Great suggestion!
Through many experiences, some good, some not so good, I came to finally attend Beauty School again. It took me 5 years to go back.. Many things had happened. I pride myself on being a late bloomer, doing my own thing, takin’ my time. A certain Dixie Chicks song comes to mind…
Compared to others (which I don’t actually recommend comparing yourself to others) it took me a long time to get my life together. But for me it was perfect. Just what the doctor ordered. I got to do a lot of things in that 5 years. I traveled, I worked, and I went on a Mission for the LDS church, (blog for another time). When it was time to go to hair school I called my friend Liz. She told me that her friends were turning Hairitage in to a Paul Mitchell School. I had met these friends of hers and they were two of the most amazing people I had ever met. Back in the day I would go see Liz at this fancy little salon called Lunatic Fringe. This place was different than any other place I had ever been. As soon as you walked in the door you were transported to a much cooler, fashionable time and place. I had never seen anything like this before. It was my first taste of how cool-looking hairdressers could be. I had no clue up until this point. Everyone looked like a rock star. Cool hair, cool clothes, cool make up, cool tattoos, cool shoes, cool accessories, cool loud music. Everything and everyone in that place was the epitome of cool. So when she told me that those cool people were opening a cool school I knew the stars had aligned and it was finally time for me to join the cool club.
You know how your whole life you’re looking for some place to call home, some people to call yours, a culture you belong to? Paul Mitchell is mine. You know how you go to a gathering of your people and the minute you walk in you feel every fiber of your being connected to them? This is how I feel whenever I walk in to a Paul Mitchell Hair Show, School, Salon or Event. I am home. These are my people. I belong and I am accepted. I know I can be anywhere in the world, Disneyland, New York City, Houston, Dallas, Orlando, Las Vegas and if I see another Paul Mitchell hair dresser, or they see me, we are connected.
It’s a challenge to list all of the ways Paul Mitchell Schools and the people involved in it have changed my life for the better. I’m going to attempt the top 5. We’ll see how it goes.
1. The Culture.
First and foremost. A be nice, accept others, focus on solutions and improvements culture. When people come first, success will follow, the mission statement of the Schools. The greatest thing about this is when you help others, when you put them first, you unconsciously do the same for yourself, vastly improving the quality of you own life. It’s a win, win situation.
2. The People.
It would be impossible to list everyone’s name that has a positive impact on my life that I’ve met at Paul Mitchell. Just know that if we have met, YOU have improved my life. The people that I get to spend every day with are amazing people. I marvel quite a bit at how lucky I am. I wonder, “What did I do to deserve this?” But in a good way. Lots of people wonder that same thing, but in a bad way. I GET to go to work everyday. I get to hang out with the cool club everyday! I love it!
3.The Magic
At Paul Mitchell schools we are encouraged to Create Magic everyday. With everyone. Not like casting spells and hocus pocus, but making people feel good and important. That is magic. It’s all about the little things. Little things bring about great change. Change is good. I learned that at Paul Mitchell, too.
4. The Opportunity
I love this word. In every situation we have some. I have been given and have taken most of the opportunities afforded at and by Paul Mitchell Schools. I have met amazing people, been all over the country, participated in incredible things. I am a member of an elite education team. I am constantly learning and shifting. One big lesson I have learned is to say ‘yes’ to opportunity. If I don’t someone will. Shawn asks, yes is the answer. I have created my own opportunities. It’s easy, you just ask yourself, “Where is my opportunity to ________?” Fill in the blank and make it happen.
5. The Reward
I have learned at Paul Mitchell that people are motivated by different things. I know that I am motivated by Reward. What am I gonna get out of this? I will either silently ask my self that, or I will ask out loud. There is always something in it for you. There is always a Reward. My reward has been a blessed, full, happy, exciting life. Blessed with people, relationships, opportunities, education. Full of laughter, fun, learning and growth. Happy to go to work everyday and soak up each others coolness. Excited for what’s next. Excited that there is stuff up next.
I may have taken the long way, but I’m so glad I did. I am so glad I waited. I am so glad to be where I am. To wrap up, I never hit the road in a pink RV with start on the ceiling, but that song speaks to me. I don't do what everybody else does, but I love the path I've chosen cause it's led me here, with you fine people.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
20 Random Things
20 random things I love…
This list is in no particular order and items on it were selected at random.
1. Taking a shower. If I could walk around all day feeling like I’m in the shower, I would.
2. Cracking an ice cube tray. I remember a time when I wasn’t strong enough to do it.
3. Getting into bed at night. No matter what season cold sheets are the most amazing thing in the world.
4. Waking up in the morning and having nowhere to go and going back to sleep.
5. On the same token, waking up well before your alarm goes off to realize that you have hours and hours left to sleep.
6. This isn’t really a thing, but sometimes I wake up in the morning and the first thing I think about is when I’ll be back in bed….I just wanted to tell you that.
7. Laughing. Especially when I’m not expecting it.
8. Road trips. I love driving and riding in a car, listening to music, singing along, talking, sleeping…when I’m not the driver, of course!
9. Going to the movies. The whole experience is great! It includes so many things I love, popcorn, butter-flavored oil, red vines, diet coke, a movie…
10. Christmas. Actually, every holiday in the fall and winter months I rather enjoy. However, Christmas is my favorite. The twinkling lights, the songs, the food, the movies. Scrooged, Elf, A Christmas Story, Christmas Vacation, White Christmas….If I could, I would keep my tree up all year, it just feels so cozy.
11. Fancy Chocolate. I had some once with pop rocks in it. Pretty good. Bacon Chocolate…not as good as you’d think. Chocolate covered espresso beans with a glass of red wine, which brings me to the 12th thing I love…
12. Red Wine. I love it so much sometimes, that in order to actually see and focus my vision I have to squint one eye.
13. My big, red couch. So comfy and will fit up to 12 people.
14.Hearing a song I haven’t heard in years and I still remember the words.
15. Toast. Funny thing about cooking something that’s already cooked. Anything toasted is good, but toasted bread is the best. Butter alone or with jam, or margarine. One to try is Brummel and Brown, it’s made with yogurt so that’s how you know it’s good.
16.Having lots of things that I enjoy. For example, when I’m eating or drinking something that I love, I’ll feel satisfied, but then when I have more, that’s the best. Also, when I’m watching an hour show I’m really in to, like True Blood, and it’s really good this week, and I look at the clock and it still has ½ an hour left, I like that. This excitement originated in 1992 when I used to watch 90210 with my sister and after that show was over it was bed time. So that extra half hour really made a big difference, It’s like, ‘oh, this show is so good, and there’s still 30 min left, that’s so much time, and I really don’t want to go to bed, cause that means school is closer…’
16.5 What is with kids not wanting to go to sleep?? They don’t get it. I can’t think of anything I would stay up for.
17. Having dreams about my Dad. I like that he comes to say hello, but inevitably in the dreams I lose him and spend the rest of the dream looking for him.
18. Hot Dogs. I know they are made of disgusting things but they taste so good.
19.Having nothing to do, nowhere to go, no one to talk to, and feeling absolutely fine about it.
20. And finally, I love doing laundry. Couple things about laundry, first, when do clothes become laundry and then clothes again? Next, does anyone else feel the need to wash the clothes they are wearing when doing laundry? I do. They actually compel me to wash them. I have to. My mom calls it ‘washing.’ She says, “I need to do my washing.” Which is just as confusing as ‘laundry.’
Life is full of random delights. There is joy in every step. Excitement at every turn. You just have to be looking for it.
This list is in no particular order and items on it were selected at random.
1. Taking a shower. If I could walk around all day feeling like I’m in the shower, I would.
2. Cracking an ice cube tray. I remember a time when I wasn’t strong enough to do it.
3. Getting into bed at night. No matter what season cold sheets are the most amazing thing in the world.
4. Waking up in the morning and having nowhere to go and going back to sleep.
5. On the same token, waking up well before your alarm goes off to realize that you have hours and hours left to sleep.
6. This isn’t really a thing, but sometimes I wake up in the morning and the first thing I think about is when I’ll be back in bed….I just wanted to tell you that.
7. Laughing. Especially when I’m not expecting it.
8. Road trips. I love driving and riding in a car, listening to music, singing along, talking, sleeping…when I’m not the driver, of course!
9. Going to the movies. The whole experience is great! It includes so many things I love, popcorn, butter-flavored oil, red vines, diet coke, a movie…
10. Christmas. Actually, every holiday in the fall and winter months I rather enjoy. However, Christmas is my favorite. The twinkling lights, the songs, the food, the movies. Scrooged, Elf, A Christmas Story, Christmas Vacation, White Christmas….If I could, I would keep my tree up all year, it just feels so cozy.
11. Fancy Chocolate. I had some once with pop rocks in it. Pretty good. Bacon Chocolate…not as good as you’d think. Chocolate covered espresso beans with a glass of red wine, which brings me to the 12th thing I love…
12. Red Wine. I love it so much sometimes, that in order to actually see and focus my vision I have to squint one eye.
13. My big, red couch. So comfy and will fit up to 12 people.
14.Hearing a song I haven’t heard in years and I still remember the words.
15. Toast. Funny thing about cooking something that’s already cooked. Anything toasted is good, but toasted bread is the best. Butter alone or with jam, or margarine. One to try is Brummel and Brown, it’s made with yogurt so that’s how you know it’s good.
16.Having lots of things that I enjoy. For example, when I’m eating or drinking something that I love, I’ll feel satisfied, but then when I have more, that’s the best. Also, when I’m watching an hour show I’m really in to, like True Blood, and it’s really good this week, and I look at the clock and it still has ½ an hour left, I like that. This excitement originated in 1992 when I used to watch 90210 with my sister and after that show was over it was bed time. So that extra half hour really made a big difference, It’s like, ‘oh, this show is so good, and there’s still 30 min left, that’s so much time, and I really don’t want to go to bed, cause that means school is closer…’
16.5 What is with kids not wanting to go to sleep?? They don’t get it. I can’t think of anything I would stay up for.
17. Having dreams about my Dad. I like that he comes to say hello, but inevitably in the dreams I lose him and spend the rest of the dream looking for him.
18. Hot Dogs. I know they are made of disgusting things but they taste so good.
19.Having nothing to do, nowhere to go, no one to talk to, and feeling absolutely fine about it.
20. And finally, I love doing laundry. Couple things about laundry, first, when do clothes become laundry and then clothes again? Next, does anyone else feel the need to wash the clothes they are wearing when doing laundry? I do. They actually compel me to wash them. I have to. My mom calls it ‘washing.’ She says, “I need to do my washing.” Which is just as confusing as ‘laundry.’
Life is full of random delights. There is joy in every step. Excitement at every turn. You just have to be looking for it.
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