Going Rogue

Ever have a dream that you carry around inside you for so long that the edges get worn from all the mental handling?  Don't we all!  I have had this vision in my head for the last couple years, but lacked the courage to just move in a direction that would take me there.  I worried what people would say, that they would think I was weird....OK weirder.

Used to be research was the home to all kinda nerd superfreaks.  I could change my hair color, dress strangely, be tatted up and no one would notice.  No one cared.  As long as you could rock the lab bench, you could represent yourself however you chose.  Not sure when that began to shift, but these days the lab is not all that different than your average cube farm -a cube farm where it's always casual friday.  All the ink is discreetly hidden, as are the piercings.  Hair colors remain boringly the same and I haven't seen a pair of tights that look like a Kadinsky in ages.  FTW - right?  If I wanted corporate mainstream dress codes, maybe I would work there.  Nah - you're right.  The wardrobe alone is too tedious to consider. 

A couple months ago, I mentioned this idea to Karla, she of the hair magics, that I had this vision of taking the front lock of my hair white -not just it's natural grey but absolute snowy white.  For those of you who only know me from the interwebs, my hair is a dark espresso color.  My inspiration for this is....wait for it.....the Rogue character from X-men.  I have loves Anna Paquin to pieces since The Piano and there was something about her hair in X-men I just couldn't shake.  Mostly though, I was stunned that on that night I had let this little dream slip out for Karla to hear.   She didn't think it odd.  Not in the least.  And I could see that she was trying to figure out how to make it happen.  That night the hair was too short.

Tonight she lifted about half the color and I am ecstatic.  Not just about the result, but with that first step toward something I dreamed.  Or something that is more me.  I'm sure people won't get it.  I don't care anymore.  If I want to be the superhero of my own life, that's between me and Tony Stark.  Mmmmmm.....Tony Stark.  Whoops.  Digressing.  I had no idea how powerful making such a small change would make me feel.  But it did.  I can't wait for the final product!

The unexpected result of this change is that I am now re-examining other dreams that I have been carrying.  I mean, if I can go Rogue, what else might I be capable of?

The answer is EVERYTHING!