Well the year is nearly over, the oliebollen have been brought and we are preparing for a quiet evening in just Mrs Stace and I.
At midnight the neighbourhood will go nuts as hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of fireworks will be let off. Last year it continued until 2 am(ish), and I suspect it will be the same this year. The only problem is our cat. Firework safety is something that has yet to reach the Netherlands, and very young kids will be walking the streets today with a rucksack full of fireworks and a smouldering lighter. They randomly throw fireworks at whatever is on the street, whether they be cars, people or animals.
Today will not be my favourite day to be out and about – or a day for our cat to be out. So instead he’s sulking in the attic :)
One of my Christmas presents has turned a little expensive… My parents got me Jamie Oliver’s 30 mine meals. Taking a look through the book there seems to be some nice recipes. But, the advice in the book is to use a mixer to save time. Now, I’ve been looking for an excuse to buy a mixer for a while. I love cooking, but don’t have the time or energy recently to start. So we went to the shops and looked at a food processor. This then turned into a planetary mixer; which tuned into a Kenwood mixer with liquidizer and mincer attachments (and a wish list of other attachments for the future…)
But… It’s started making itself useful already. I ran out of time before Christmas to finish my mince pies – using them mixer I had 20 made in less time than it took to make the pastry normally. And the pastry recipe in the mixer seems fool proof. And the kitchen was not left looking like a flour bag had exploded. Happy, happy, joy, joy as they say :) Let’s see if it’s as useful for the recipes.
Yesterday I went to a clinic to discuss having my face zapped. Something that I have been discussing with my therapist for a few months… Whether I transition or not I want my beard gone -
It’s the thing that tips my mood when I catch my reflection most of the time; I’m fed up with making my face bleed, even with an electric razor, trying to get rid of as much shadow as possible.
I had a consultation, was warned about the pain, time and quite a few times I was told that it’s permanent – are you sure you realise this. After the discussion there was a test patch done. ‘Some people say it feels like an elastic band, others say it’s worse’ I was told again. The system they use is eLaser a zap of laser light followed by a blast of EMF.
Zap
Not too bad actually, the elastic band thing this about right. Not pleasant by any means but OK…
Zap
Hmm, not the best, but doable
Zap
Starting to get a little more painful now…
Zap
I have to endure this for 45 minutes!
Each zap is fine, nothing too major – as I said an elastic band is a realistic comparison. Now imagine that someone is pinging your face over and over with the same elastic band! Suddenly a little ping isn’t any more…
I have to call my insurance company, but am not hopeful of them covering the cost. The clinic has had an offer on for the last month or so where I won’t have to pay the VAT, bringing the cost down nearly 20% if I pay today (last day of the offer…)
This has taken quite some mental effort. This is (as was pointed out to me, a lot) permanent. There is no going back to shaving everyday should I ever change my mind. It’s not cheap. And Mrs Stace is not quite happy with me doing it as she likes the stubble (though she isn’t stopping me).
But if it stops me having some mental anguish about my face then it should be worth it…
2011 is going to be interesting…
Happy 2011 all, I wish you the best for you and yours.
Stace
Not often you hear of someone actually liking stubble on their partners face, she is going to have a fairly long gradual chance to get weaned off that sensation.
ReplyDeleteI have no idea why this is not more popular with the male population generally since they spend so much time and pointless effort to be smooth and attractive as they think only for it to be a mess again in almost no time followed by discomfort then start again!
Once I was able to just accept that the zap was coming rather than flinch with each one it got so much better. As they say, no pain no gain.
Some new year resolution, may you both have a good one.
Caroline xxx
So you received Jamie's book too! We already had the food processor.
ReplyDeleteHaving read so many descriptions of pain and hair removal I'm steeling myself for the day that it's my turn. Better buy that vat of emla gel...
Pair of softies!
ReplyDeleteIt should have been "no pain, no loss"
Small price to pay to feel human.
Caroline xxx
LOL! Beauty is a cruel misstress! Happy New Year, Stace and Mrs. Stace!
ReplyDeleteMelissa XX
Caroline: She said that she likes the look, if not the feel. But I can imagine that it's what it represents more than anything else. She understands why I need to do it though, and whilst not happy has not tried to stop me from doing it.
ReplyDeleteJenny: Yup we did. Tried a bit of one recipe yesterday (was very nice) and an going for another half meal today (no dessert as we have enough in home).
The recipes look nice, though I think the editor should be fired... There are ingredients that are never mentioned in the recipe (you have to look at the pictures to see where they are used and how), and there are ingrediants in the pictures that are neither mentioned in the ingredient list, or text. So whilst they are very important there is no idea no know how much you need...
As for the pain. I'll let you know after my first session... But as I said as an individual zap it's almost nothing (did stay red for the rest of the day though), after 4 zaps it's starting to get less fun. Kind if like plucking one eyebrow hair is fine, but by the time you have done a few you are thinking it's a bad idea.
Caroline: What can I say we're both from down south compared to you ;p
I'll let you now how small I think the price is when I have done a whole session... :)
Melissa: Happy new year to you too, hope you had a good one.
Stace
I didn't like laser treatment, but mostly it was bearable. The one place that really hurt even with Emla was the upper lip, especially right under the nose. Worst place for electrolysis too!
ReplyDeleteHope that all goes well. I started it well before my transition. My partner never liked stubble anyway, either look or feel.
As Ariel says, brings tears to the eyes!
ReplyDeleteI was six months into removal on cheeks and neck first before I thought I had better tell my beloved what I was doing, she had no suspicion since the change had been so gradual, thought I was getting better at shaving!
Caroline xxx
Larks, that does sound painful. Still, hopefully the end result will be worth it! :-)
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year, Stace!!
Ariel: I can't imagine anyone who likes the laser treatment :) Then again it takes all kinds I suppose :)
ReplyDeleteI'm rather worried about the upper lip... For the first trip I am just ging to pop a Paracetemol or two (I've heard that helps) and see where I go from there. The clinic will supply cream if I need it...
Caroline: Seeing as Mrs Stace sent me for help in the first place I don't think that there is anything that I would keep from her...
Lynn: Mee too...
Happy new year!
Stace
Just saying you will not be as smooth and soft as a babies bottom after one session. Time for Mrs Stace to get used to the new you.
ReplyDeleteYou have no idea how much you will love the results if not the little discomfort of getting it.
Best of luck.
Caroline xxx
To never shave again? It would be heaven for me, even though I have a very light beard that covers nicely.
ReplyDeleteI guessing your spouse probably doesn't like the stubble, but the lack of any stubble may just remind her of the changes you are making.
Happy New Year, Stace.
Calie xxx
Caroline: I can't wait for the results, it's just a shame that it takes so long to acheive...
ReplyDeleteWe'll see how well Mrs Stace adjusts. Fingers crossed...
Calie: Not having to remember every morning, not trying to rip my skin off trying to remove the shadow.
Irony is of course that the thing that makes laser so effective is the thing that makes me cut my skin up trying to gert a close shave - thick, dark hairs...
As for Mrs Stace - that's exactly my thinking. We'll see what happens in the new year.
Stace
My wife loves a little stubble on my face, for the feel. She hates stubble on my legs, for the feel. Oh, to think like a woman....
ReplyDeleteOddly enough the legs have never been an issue... I guess the implications of the face...
ReplyDeleteStace