So…what is the Monday Poll?
Excellent question! It isn’t, contrary to its name, an actual poll, like with little clicky buttons. It’s just a list of more or less random questions I’ve been posting on this blog every Monday morning for the past quadrillion years (since 2007).
1. Mountains or desert?
Mountains, ideally somewhere with a million shades of green and a river or a lake. Sure, my allergies will probably be crazy, but at least my heart will be happy.
2. Something you’re doing in 2025?
Making decisions from a place of optimism and not fear. So often I needlessly worry about all the things that are involved and every little detail that could go wrong. I don’t want to be held back by fear anymore. Life is too short.
3. How easily do you cry?
I’m 100% a crybaby. You know what, though? It’s not always because I’m sad. If I’m angry or frustrated or feeling anxious, my body releases whatever it needs to release through tears. It’s kind of a pain in the butt.
4. Your go-to shampoo and hair conditioner these days?
I’ve been buying Fairy Tales Rosemary Repel Shampoo and Conditioner in extra large bottles since the fall. Lice outbreaks have been happening at all the elementary schools, and even though our pediatrician said that they typically slow down in the winter, I’m super paranoid about it.
5. An instrumental piece of music you love?
“Clair de Lune” by Claude Debussy.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
P.S. Here are the questions to copy/paste with your answers in a comment. Talk to ya soon.
1. Mountains or desert?
2. Something you’re doing in 2025?
3. How easily do you cry?
4. Your go-to shampoo and hair conditioner these days?
5. An instrumental piece of music you love?
1. Mountains or desert?
Mountains.
2. Something you’re doing in 2025?
Refocusing on what really matters to me, rather than living day-to-day in crisis mode. It’s been a tough few years, for various reasons, and I lost sight of my goals and priorities in just trying to deal with the daily crap that came up.
3. How easily do you cry?
Not very.
4. Your go-to shampoo and hair conditioner these days?
Biolage Hydra Source Shampoo and a variety of conditioners, depending on how much moisture I need that day. Either a little bit of Trader Joe’s Shea Butter & Coconut Oil Hair Mask, Amika’s Soulfood if I need a big boost of moisture, or I just spray my hair with It’s a 10 Miracle Leave-In Light when I get out of the shower. (I know, so complicated, lol.)
5. An instrumental piece of music you love?
I like Vivaldi, so of course I love The Four Seasons.
The most fascinating piece I’ve ever heard is Gustav Holst’s The Planets. (Fun fact: Mars, the Bringer of War, from this suite, was one of John Williams’ influences for The Imperial Death March in Star Wars. Once you listen to both, you definitely hear it!)
1. Mountains or desert? Mountains
2. Something you’re doing in 2025? Decluttering, decluttering, decluttering. I sound like a broken record. But we’ve accumulated so much “stuff” in 35 years of marriage. And I lack the gene for being organized, so I constantly have to work on it.
3. How easily do you cry? Not very. I’m more of a stoic hold it all in person.
4. Your go-to shampoo and hair conditioner these days? I picked up some shampoo and conditioner in Japan from a brand called Hiritu only because L’Oreal seems to have discontinued the Ever Creme shampoo I used to use.
5. An instrumental piece of music you love? “One Summer’s Day” by Joe Hisaishi. Which is the theme song for “Spirited Away”. I use that one as my wake alarm on my phone.
1. Mountains or desert? Mountains. I love the desert but hate the heat.
2. Something you’re doing in 2025? Upping my weights in workouts.
3. How easily do you cry? Not easily, I work in a profession that’s 98% male- and I’m the boss so I have to keep it together. At home though, a good sappy movie – I’ll let the tears come happily.
4. Your go-to shampoo and hair conditioner these days? Captain Blankenship.
5. An instrumental piece of music you love? Vivaldi Winter
1. Mountains or desert? Mountains, as I’ve rarely seen them in my life, and they don’t really exist in Texas (don’t believe the PR about TX – even the desert in Texas doesn’t measure up to the desert in California – and it doesn’t have Joshua trees or saguaro cactus). I really need to see Half Dome in Yosemite before I die.
2. Something you’re doing in 2025? I should get a passport and travel before my health gets worse. Practically speaking, I probably won’t get to.
3. How easily do you cry? Not easily, unless I’m thinking about my heart dog, who died over 25 years ago. My parents gave me a complex about crying because it annoyed them so much (and I didn’t cry excessively even as a child). (I tell you, nothing is worse than being the only daughter in a 4-kid family, in which the father is a covert narcissist and the mother enables him.) Their payback for that is that I didn’t cry at their funerals. Yes, I was sad, but I couldn’t cry.
4. Your go-to shampoo and hair conditioner these days? Don’t really have a favorite. I usually just buy the color-safe formulas from L’Oreal and Pantene. I should try something new, but the industry is full of grossly overpriced shampoos and conditioners. I hate being taken advantage of by companies.
5. An instrumental piece of music you love? First one that springs to mind is that second half of “Layla,” which is purely instrumental. Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” is another.
I’d like to add another to the instrumental list: “Classical Gas.” There are two versions of this by the original composer, and both are good. It was made famous by “The Smothers Brothers Show” in the late 1960s.
1. Mountains or desert? Both my grandparents and my parents had vacation homes in the San Bernardino Mountains so I used to spend a lot of time there. And, because I was an avid snow skier and hiker, I spent time in mountain ranges all over the place. I love being in the mountains.
2. Something you’re doing in 2025? Things to work on: Taking each day as it comes, freeing myself from negative thoughts and emotions, practicing patience and calmness.
3. How easily do you cry? I’m not a crier.
4. Your go-to shampoo and hair conditioner these days? I’ve been loyal to Aveda’s Blue Malva shampoo for grey hair for years. I’m not fussy about conditioner and just need something to help detangle my long hair. Dove’s Daily Moisture diluted with a bit of water and poured through my hair does the job.
5. An instrumental piece of music you love? That’s a tough question because there are so many that I love. One that I was listening to today, though, is the Concierto de Aranjuez by Joaquin Rodrigo. The second movement is particularly heartrending and guitarist Pepe Romero’s poignant performance is transcendental.
1. Mountains or desert?
Mountains. The desert is pretty but that dry air does me no favors.
2. Something you’re doing in 2025?
Trying not to go crazy.
3. How easily do you cry?
I used to cry at the drop of a hat — sad tv commercials would set me off, or if a friend was hurting I would cry even if they didn’t. Anger? Tears. Joy? Tears. Since my mother’s death last year, however, I’ve been unable to cry. It’s odd though, because I always look like I’ve been crying.
4. Your go-to shampoo and hair conditioner these days?
Pureology Hydrate shampoo and the same brand conditioner. A former stylist was adamant that I use this brand (conveniently sold at her salon!) but I’m not particularly attached to it.
5. An instrumental piece of music you love?
Alexander Scriabin – Piano Concerto in F sharp minor, Op. 20. It’s absolutely divine.
I’m sorry for the loss of your mom, Susan.
1. Mountains. I love the trees and crisp air.
2. In 2025, my goal is to take care of me. And declutter.
3. I don’t cry easily. If my cats died, I would cry, however.
4. Davines Curl shampoo and conditioner. Almond extract aroma. I don’t like heavy perfumes.
5. Hands down: Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue.
Great instrumental choice! “Rhapsody in Blue” is a favorite. I love “American in Paris” by Gershwin too.
1. Mountains or desert? Mountains for sure. I dessicate in dry conditions (nosebleeds, cracked skin, etc).
2. Something you’re doing in 2025? As of Jan 20th, I’ve stopped all unnecessary consumption. Will try to participate in this economy as little as possible. Work conditions are quickly becoming untenable (again) and this could be the final push to get me to retire early.
3. How easily do you cry? Not that easily. I’m most likely to cry when in a rage, which isn’t helpful.
4. Your go-to shampoo and hair conditioner these days? I alternate between 2-3 shampoos and 2-3 conditioners based on how my hair feels and the time of year. Mostly I’m using Trader Joe’s TTT shampoo and conditioner and All About Curls shampoo and daily conditioner. Sometimes I use Pureology moisture shampoo or the Mielle mint hair mask as conditioner.
5. An instrumental piece of music you love? Vivaldi’s Spring.
1. Mountains or desert? Mountains.
2. Something you’re doing in 2025? Learning detachment. Learning not to fix things for others. Learning to take care of myself.
3. How easily do you cry? Not easily. I think it’s not as healthy as crying to release energy.
4. Your go-to shampoo and hair conditioner these days? As long as it doesn’t dry my hair out, I’m okay — I used to buy expensive but I don’t think it matters to my coarse hair. I use the Costco Korean stuff.
5. An instrumental piece of music you love? Moonlight Sonata.