Well, honestly I feel a bit deflated. I am glad I get 375 more chances to do this. This evening's act did not go as well as I hoped but I do suppose much of that was my fault. I have been feeling a bit ill about this encounter for a couple of days and had mere hours beforehand to try to turn it around in my head but was apparently unsuccessful. I need to give a bit of background here, but am very wary about doing so. I in no way wish to hurt anyone's feelings but part of this experiment is to see how events in my life over the next year unfold and how can comparisons be made if there is no 'before' to compare it to? I will try to be a bit vague and change names without leaving out any important details.
Let's start with the call from my friend about three or four months back. This was a call asking if I would mind coloring her mother's hair. No, I don't mind. Of course. This friend of mind is a keeper. A very generous girl whom I like very much. She ask'd how much I would charge - Oh nothing! I don't mind doing her hair for free... once that is. I did not know that once would end up being once every four weeks. I attempted to arrange a barter with the mom but it has never happened. I have continued to do her hair. Why? I do not know. I am not sure of my reasoning. Each time she calls to have me meet her once again I plan to nicely explain to her all the reasons I cannot do this. Each time I meet her, I need to leave my family. I also work from home, so every time I leave is time I am not spending doing what I need to be doing to earn my living. The mom does give me $20 but that is not even 1/5 of what I would charge at the salon.
This may seem like no big deal - here I am trying to do things for other people on a continuous basis. And I do see the irony here. However, this mom is not destitute nor unable to pay. She went to another girl from my salon prior to me - she merely wants to spend less and has told me so. I also do not feel that what I am doing is very much appreciated. In fact I feel quite the opposite. I leave each visit feeling badly and determined that I will not do it again. Then she calls four weeks later...
This was going to be the week. She called a couple days ago asking if I would come over. I agreed. I mulled over what to say about this being my last time and all... but.... she then told me how badly she was doing because her mother died last week. I just could not add to that. Nope. I caved and agreed to go. The next day the idea for this challenge came about. Who better to be my first act than her? I decided to also bring her a nice plant to cheer her up a bit.
I am not quite sure what I expected. It was not it though... I still felt badly when I left and definitely less happy than when I arrived. I cannot do that again. I am sure that not every deed is going to be appreciated, but I do not need to do it over and over.
I am absolutely done dwelling on this evening. I do not want to think about this anymore. It makes me feel bad.
Tomorrow is a new day and a new act. I am gifting highlights to my neighbor who could not afford them otherwise. This one I am very fond of and I am very excited to do this for her. I promise that not every act will involve hair, but the first two just happen to fall into that category.
Stats:
Daily Points - 1
Extra - 0
Bonus - 0
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