i have something to share. i feel kind of funny about it because i automatically hate all things that smack of hippie. examples:

• patchouli
• those horrible poncho/shirt things from south america
• mandals
• not bathing

my parents were hippies, back in the day - among the first to join the peace corps, lived on an indian reservation - the whole deal. although really, they were of the beat generation, which, in my mind, is a lot more awesome than being a hippie because it involves wearing stylish attire and writing or painting incomprehensible things while clothing yourself in the metaphoric mantle of counterculture.

anyway. back to my tip. i have a friend who is incredibly frugal and environmentally responsible. she's always telling me to do crazy things like wash out plastic bags, make my own pork stock, and line-dry my clothes. yeah, whatever - i grew up without a car, eating homemade yogurt, and being deprived of television. it ain't me, babe.

however, her email yesterday said that she'd taken to washing her hair with baking soda (1 T + water as shampoo) and vinegar (1 T + water as conditioner) and it was amazing. well, i'm experimental. i decided to try it. keep in mind that my hair is naturally the texture of straw that has been left baking in the sun for several years. i use exclusively kerastase, which i consider to be the rolls-royce of haircare products.

so i cannot overexpress my surprise at finding that it actually, strangely, works - and it even feels like i used conditioner. totally weird, right? anyway, my review:

• positives: shiny, soft, manageable hair, very low cost
• negatives: somewhat messy to use, moderate vinegar smell, only used once; long-term usage might result in hair loss - who can say?

so, edward, still feeling pretty good about the whole engagement thing?