Goodbye Trianon

I was held back in the first grade. The teachers told my parents I wasn't so good at the work part, but I was really good at the playing part. They said they'd never seen a student play so hard.



Recently my husband and I have had many conversations, and decided that before we add either a dog, gerbil or human being into the Newcomb family I needed to get back to working very hard... at playing. I have entitled this very important event "The Summer of Erin & Brent", but Brent calls it "Summer of Erin". I'm not sure if he is trying to say something or just abbreviating.... but it does save time to just say "Summer of Erin!"

As I enter into this next chapter, I am saying goodbye to another chapter. This week will be my last working at Trianon salon. I have been working their front desk for almost two years. It is a bittersweet goodbye. This small group of very talented people took me in as their own and were there during some very important moments in my life.

• When Brent and I decided to have a small and intimate wedding in my parent’s backyard
• When Brent and I decided to have a big circus wedding in my parent’s backyard
• The time I ordered a wedding gown off eBay from China
• The time we all laughed at my eBay wedding gown from China

• The moment I shared my wedding trial "updo" with them via text message
• The moment they shared some helpful updo advice

It may be hard to tell, but this is my scary wedding trial "updo" I received from a Springfield salon that shall remain nameless. And yes, I'm in Walmart in this picture.

Mostly, I remember their advice, jokes, stories, friendship, AMAZING cuts and color jobs and, of course, the time I got hit by the car leaving work. But even then I was truly lucky to have their constant support and help throughout that entire process.

To be honest I never intended to work in the salon industry for very long. After leaving the Chicago Sun-Times in the fall of 2008, I looked around for a part-time job so I could focus on becoming a writer. I started out at Art & Science Salon, which was very eventful and busy. As I was beginning the process of planning a wedding, I got a call about the position at Trianon. I didn't know it at the time, but I could not have made it through last year without that job or that group of people.

When I look back at my career path so far I realize my career is somewhat blurry, but I know those jobs and people were exactly what I needed when I needed them. While I learned lessons like...

• Not to define myself by what I do, but how I do
• Not to drink too much of the free water, because the cheap toilet paper will cause chafing
• Everyone is on a poop schedule
• Squeaky wheel gets the grease, really squeaky wheel gets thrown out
• There are the most creative and talented people behind desks, phones and work stations that entertain their aisle, client or room on many occasions
• Complaining while making jokes is more fun than just complaining
• Say no
• The boss listens to the receptionist or assistant, so be kind to them
• The most valuable person is the one that cleans out the fridge
• And do NOT let a client into your place of work with rollerblades on

... the one lesson that I will always remember is to listen to myself. It was scary to take risks, make changes and move on to something unknown, but I couldn't have grown without doing so. And if I'm open, there will always be exactly what I need when I need it.



Thank you Trianon Salon for making me a part of your family! I will be back for updo's or if I spend too much money on "Summer of Erin" bumper stickers and need my job back!

In the words of some guy on a Buddha documentary I watched the other night, "I am unsure, and I am okay with that."