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30 Days of Writing - #14 - The Short Hairs


Aw, look at that guy. Isn't he gorgeous. He's a short-haired pointer. Although he's not pointing at the moment. If I had a dog this is the kind of dog I'd have. We'd be pretty evenly matched, I think. I just had to run this pic of a dog. If only to restore some balance to all those people who post pics of their cats during this 30 day exercise.

Anyway, onward and upward. Today's prompt is "the short hairs". (Points already for the photo, right?)

As I started to research today's prompt I came across an interesting article. Most people, myself included, might think the expression "got me by the short hairs" was in reference to one's pubic hairs. Au contraire, mes ami(e)s. Turns out it has to do with the hair at the back of your neck. Yeah, imagine. Did you know that? I certainly didn't.

The meaning of the phrase refers to being trapped by an opponent, in a position one can't easily escape from. Funny. I would have thought it would have been easier to escape from someone who has a hold on your neck hair than someone who's got a grasp on those short and curlies. Go figure.

You know there are many expressions about hair, be it long, short, or none existent.

Did you know that when you Google "Hair Expressions" you get 7,070,000 listings for beauty parlours? Yeah, so if you're ever going to do this Google "Hair Sayings".

Here's a few sayings and what I think they might mean:


Hair of the dog - has nothing whatsoever to do with hair, eh.

As fine as frog's hair - which is ridiculous as everyone knows frogs don't have hair.

Baby let your hair down - I think it was a 60s thing.

Tear my hair out - used for effect. No one actually tears their hair out.

A hair trigger - I think that's close to the short and curlies.

Made my hair stand on end - my Goth friend introduced me to this great gel, dude.


You know (of course you don't, but hold on, I'm about to tell you.), as a kid I had short hair. Yeah, something called brush cuts were all the rage. And the barber would put barber's wax in my hair which would drip down my face in the hot weather. Cool, eh?

Maybe it was a uneventful youth spent with short hair but as a teen I had long hair. And as an adult I was always very reluctant to visit the barber for a hair cut. I looked like a latter-day hippie at times. I grew a beard in the 70s. Shaved it off then grew a moustache in the 80s. These days I sport a goatee. A goatee in search of a perpetual trim.

Regular readers of my blog will know I've gone through several stem cell transplants for my cancer. Each time, the process was accompanied by a period of chemo and radiation. Needless to say my hair fell out. And I mean everywhere. The shower, the bed, the kitchen, the basement... no, no that too but that's not what I meant. My head, my face and...elsewhere. I was as bald as a baby's butt - but (pun intended) all over my body. Everywhere except, oddly enough, my eyebrows.

You talk about the short hairs? I had no hairs!




See who has who by the short hairs in our 30 Days of Writing challenge by visiting We Work For Cheese where Nicky has a little link love going. 


Comments

Laughingmom said…
I don't want to split hairs with you, but I think a full face would have not been a hair-raising experience. Bald is beautiful, duf!
babs (beetle) said…
The funny thing is that we (in the UK) say "Grabbed me by the short and curlies", not short hairs. Says something about us, I suppose ;)
nonamedufus said…
That peach fuzz on my head is the most hair I had at that time. Bizarre, eh?
nonamedufus said…
Ah, but, short and curlies is something else entirely. It means exactly what you think it does. You Brits! We're more polite over here.
Quirky Loon said…
"Did you know that when you Google "Hair Expressions" you get 7,070,000 listings for beauty parlours?"

Uhm contraire mi amigo.

HA!

It's 7,070,023.

Those 23 are quite offended I'll have you know. hee hee.
babs (beetle) said…
Well, of course you are ;)
Tami Von Zalez said…
Yes! the pointer is beautiful, we have a German wirehaired pointer and she is amazing (you can see her pic on my blogpost of http://thriftshopcommando.blogspot.com/2012/05/eat-sleep-hunt-repeat.html)
AND your baldness is a thing of beauty, esp. in light of the cancer treatment you've endured.
thriftshopcommando.blogspot.com
nonamedufus said…
Uh-oh. Looks like you've got me by the short hairs.
nonamedufus said…
Actually, my bald head wasn't bad. I've seen worse. You should have seen me when the hair first grew back. I have straight, kind of wavy hair normally. My hair grew back curly! Once it grew in long enough for a haircut the curls got chopped off and it went back to normal.
P.J. said…
The dog -- if you had the dog, would it microwave hot dogs?? :)

As for the hair. I do remember the days of the short-hair barber cuts. And I remember friends and my father going through chemo and the bald looks. I actually always thought it looked pretty solid. And then it's odd when they get the hair back.

And the short hairs. I always thought it was the hair on the neck, because it always seemed to be in movies when someone with a scope on a rifle had someone in those "short hairs!"
nonamedufus said…
I wouldn't microwave THOSE dogs.

In the movies they had someone in their cross hairs - I hope. Could have been a different kind of movie, though.
meleahrebeccah said…
But being bald looks GOOD on you!


"Tear my hair out - used for effect. No one actually tears their hair out."

Um -- I have literally ripped out my own hair.
Linda R. said…
That is interesting. I guess you never know how the body is going to react to something. I assume it was the same color?
nonamedufus said…
Oh, no. It was white the first time it fell out. It came back a curly reddish, blonde.
nonamedufus said…
Why? Did bald look good on YOU?
Linda R. said…
That's even more interesting! Did you like it?
nonamedufus said…
It was kinda weird, actually.
00dozo said…
Gah! What's happened to Disqus? It looks weird.


Anyway ...

While I didn't exactly know what "short hairs" meant - but I did know it wasn't the "short and curly" type since they aren't that short (have you ever uncurled one of those suckers?), I do know that the most sensitive skin on your head is at the back of the neck where those short hairs grow. It makes for a great submission hold against someone trying to pummel you into the ground, or to discipline an unruly child (and way better than twisting the ear).
Oh, and I love the dog! Yes, definitely points for the dog.
;-)
nonamedufus said…
DISQUS is new and improved - I hope.


I had a high school Latin teacher that used to grab misbehaving boys by the back of the neck and squeeze. Man the back of my neck was sore.


I love that dog. He looks about as energetic as me.
Linda Medrano said…
You gave me information I didn't know in this one. "Short hairs" I thought meant what you say it didn't. Phew! I was worried that Nicky/Mike were being nasty.

You have been through so much. You look great though. Hair is over -rated.
Cheryl P. said…
Very imformative. While the correct meaning of references relating to "by the short hairs" may, indeed, refer to the back of the neck but we all know that isn't what most people using the phrase mean.
I am so sorry you have had to go through so much but I am glad you are getting proper treatment and are around to be so fun in the blogosphere.
Nicky said…
I don't know how I knew that about the short hairs, but I did. Tu as un très beau coco, mon ami.:-)
nonamedufus said…
Hair keeps us Canadians warm in the winter.
nonamedufus said…
No, you're right. most people think it means by the short and curlies

Yeah, I'm glad I'm still around to bug you guys with my puns.
nonamedufus said…
Well you know, Nicky, I try to keep my cocoa dry. It mixes better that way.
meleahrebeccah said…
Meh. It was a long time ago.
Nicki Ditch said…
I love the sayings and the history of the saying! Thanks!


I have to disagree with you on one of them though. Some people (including my daughter) do tear their hair out when they are stressed. It is called Trichotillomania. Thankfully, she stopped after several years but she still pulls her eyelashes when stressed. =/


I only just started reading your blog so was unaware of your health. I pray you are healthy now!!!!!!
nonamedufus said…
You know, I actually knew that but had no idea what the term was. Thanks for that. It must not be easy to cope with.


I have my off days but I am healthy now, yes. Thanks.
00dozo said…
Thanks. Recent stomach troubles have kept me absent, but the foot is almost 100% and is healthy enough to fit into my mouth once again. ;-)

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