Day Eleven

Twirling my hair

I have the bad habit of twirling my hair. I am twirling it now.
This is not good for a few reasons, which I will now list:

1. I am going bald, and this inane habit accellerates the process.
2. I look like an idiot when I do it.
3. It is a behavior that substitutes for purposeful activity.

I do more than twirl it. I separate the strands of curly hair, removing little knots, and soften the friz. Friz - is that a word? It feels as if I am improving something, fixing, cleaning, grooming. These are natural drives, and connect deeply to my animal nature.

But like the compulsive hand washer, or garden variety perfectionist, my obsession is a system gone haywire - an addiction in which there is a missing check point. It is like a thermostat that just keeps getting hotter. I just keep twirling; like a baby playing with its mommy's hair and eyes while nursing. Did I just say that?

And so I warn all my readers. Don't twirl your hair. You'll be sorry if you do.

I am.