Defining the curl... -ly-haired conservative

Thanks to these lovely things called genetics, I have curly hair. Really, really curly hair. While some people find this enchanting or enviable, I find it just plain annoying. I have fought my curls tooth and nail for the better part of the last 10-plus years, at times spending upwards of an hour to straighten my locks and one-up the curse of nature.

Or, at least, I used to.

Then the 2008 elections came up, and before I knew it, I was busier than a one-armed paperhanger, trying to keep up with all of the breaking news and then get the info disseminated on my marriage blog.

And suddenly I couldn't fathom spending upwards of an hour on something as trivial as my hair. Suddenly perspective crept in, and my priorities realigned. Suddenly something so superficial really didn't matter - and instead of fighting the curl, I embraced it.

Now here I am, almost a year later, and I can proudly say that with few exceptions, I've accepted my curls. When I'm in a humidity-free zone I put that flat iron to work (because, after all, it takes less time and effort there), but for the most part, I'm learning to use what I've got and to make the most of it.

And that goes beyond just hair - I didn't spend years acquiring knowledge of our country's Founding, a passion for newsgathering and a (sometimes oblivious) lack of a filter in making my voice heard for nothing, right? As a wise woman once told me, if you've got it, flaunt it.