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So I've been looking into the possibility of going back to school, and the interest was in Cosmetology. After some research, I concluded it was going to be either Toledo Academy of Beauty Culture, or Regency Beauty Institute - Toledo. My instincts told me I was going to be going to Regency, but I wanted to avoid any pre-bias before even giving TABC a chance, so I visited them first. Ghettoist Beauty School ever! So that was a... maybe, but prolly not.
So then I put in an info request with Regency, the next day I get a phone call from one of girls there and she's all cool and upbeat and doesn't miss a beat when I explain that I'm a transsexual just starting transition... So I booked an appointment to visit the campus this morning. Absolutely Gorgeous Place! Like, upscale salon, kind of gorgeous. And everyone there except one pair of guests treat me as just a normal girl, looking to become a cosmetologist.
So... I like the looks. I like the "vibe". And I definitely like the way people are treating me. You know the three strikes rule? Well, this is the inverse, whatever that is. ^^ *giggle*
So after the tour and spiel and stuff, Heather, the Performance Floor Manager, and the one who was showing off campus to me and some dude who was also there for his tour today with some buddy of his, he's all like... I have a job... I'm thinking about starting early next year... Can I just reserve my spot with the $25 and decide exactly when I start later? While I'm like, I have a job, and it sucks major cow dung... where do I sign!? LOL. Actually, that was what was in my head, but I said something a little more tame, like "I'd like to enroll."
So... after lots of paperwork, lots of signing "Abi" and only two cases of signing "Andrew" and a quiz, she grades the quiz and is like, you only missed one question! And yeah... I'm enrolled ^^
I'll be starting September Tenth. So the week immediately after Labor Day will be my last week as a grounds keeper... hopefully ever.
Comments
That's great!
Best of luck, hon!
"Life is not measured by the breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.”
George Carlin
Cool Beans
Enjoy it because it sounds great!
So I got to know
Is the getto school area as bad as Dorr St, near the Uni of Toledo? (Yeah, I know it's on Bancroft, but I used to go down Dorr all the time) I recall that was a very bad part of town. The company I worked for had a store near Detroit St, I think, on Dorr and the locals stole the fence not once, but 3 separate times. Was funny to me that they'd take just the fence. We'd see them putting in a new one, then two weeks later, a few boards were gone, a day later a few more, then the third day, almost all of it was gone. Finally they got rid of that store.
Worse...
Glendale and Byrne. They have another location on the other side of the river, but I don't know that area all that well to know if it's any better. That location's too far for me to even think about attending there anyways.
To put it in perspective... Glendale and Byrne area has been being hit by a lot of arsons and armed robberies lately.
I was referring more to the school itself, but the location probably does contribute insofar as they don't really WANT it to look too fancy and attract the wrong kind of attention for the area.
Whatever, though, TABC just didn't feel right to me, from the outset. I honestly never really gave it a chance... even though I honestly did TRY to... my instincts were already screaming Regency from the moment I first started looking into a beauty school.
Abigail Drew.
Congratulations!
As a fellow returning-student (even though one of a different subject at a different place) I wish you that you will enjoy and succeed in your studies.
Lots of love .
Lily.
Thanks. You too! Now comes the hard part...
Finances.
I'm going to have to quit working entirely to go to school. My dad seems to think I could try to negotiate some after-hours work with my current employers, but, honestly, even if I could, I wouldn't want to. This job is terribly destructive on the body, and anything I try to do to doll myself up, which at a beauty school is part of the requirements, rather than discouraged, will be ruined very quickly.
Further... Going to Regency will BE a full-time job on its own. Literally go in at 8:30, leave at 5, half hour for lunch. I have a tough time doing a lot of anything other than work with my current full time job, there's little chance I can have my work hours, except at school, AND hold even a part time job. I doubt they'd give me a decent rent discount or anything else to make it worth while for just weekend work. (well, two days a week, whichever ones I have off from school on a floating schedule).
As for finding other work... doubtful.
My dad is offering to help some... But he's not rich, and he won't be able to do much. Maybe keep me fed. Or maybe finish off the tuition and fees.
So that leaves grants and loans... The federal kind all I qualified for comes to is like 2k shy of covering tuition and fees. State - nothing, they only want to finance the maths and sciences. So that leaves finding a private student loan willing to finance me at this school. I'm going to need a crap ton more for various other living expenses for the year and to finish off the tuition and fees.
...
So what're you heading back for? Probably not something I'd call fun, huh? lol.
Abigail Drew.
congrats, hon.
That sounds wonderful! And I'm glad they're treating you right, that's a great thing!
Definitely!
Especially around here. Actually, they were pretty awesome. They were like, it's awesome that we get to be part of this time in your life, with so many changes.
Most Toledoans seem to be barely tolerating my presence... But Regency is like... wow. Can't even describe it really... Let's just say that for them, anti-discrimination isn't JUST a policy statement. At least of all the people I've interacted with so far. Like... Two girls at recruiting, and Heather here at the Toledo campus, and all the others who were there that day.
Abigail Drew.
Good news
Congratulations! And worst case, if you accidentally dye your hair pink and have to drop out, you get serenaded by Frankie Avalon. So it's win-win!
darn you
Now I have that song stuck in my head!!!
LOL.
I sure as heck hope I don't drop out X.X
I don't think they'd mind too much if I DID dye my hair pink though. That's considered a style statement these days.
Honestly though, I'm far more interested in keeping it natural looking, not bold. So I think if I did any dying to my own hair it'd just be a little lightening and some red, make me more auburn instead of this dark sepia I was born with. Or maybe just lighten it and make it brunette... I just don't really like my hair being so dark...
Abigail Drew.
Well done!
So from digging in rich earth to painting faces in rich earth tones! :)
And of course, especially on windy / rainy / snowy days, you'll be able to look out of the window and think "I'm glad I'm not doing that any more!"
Enjoy your course and (hopefully!) subsequent career.
As the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body, then only left-handers are in their right mind!
Digging in rich earth?
You must have me confused with some other grounds keep... the earth here is definitely not rich. Depending where on property you're digging, you're either digging through rock, sand, clay, or rock and sand or rock and clay.
I'll be painting faces, doing hair, nails, some waxing... Learning how to run a salon/spa business... The program at Regency is all-inclusive. Part of what attracted me so much to it. I'm going to want to go back to school to learn more advanced esthetics (waxing, massaging, facials...) While working as a cosmetologist in some capacity, and then probably open my own salon and day spa while learning electrolysis... Then I'll add electrolysis to my services and offer EVERYTHING!
At least... If I stick with it. I might decide to just use the cosmetology to pay for my transition and then to take classes part-time for linguistics and then library science... I'm still not completely decided between the two career paths. On the one hand, the beauty world allows me to make money from my artistic and creative side, which is a plus, but on the other hand, if I get really really good, I'll also get really really busy and quite possibly end up in the spotlight. Library science, I'm just looking up lots of information for other people, which does pay well, and won't ever risk getting the spotlight shone on me.
I would, I think, probably enjoy either career path. But which would be the better choice for me? I'm not entirely sure yet.
Part of me is screaming to run away as fast as I can, I don't want to risk it. While the other part is coaxing me, telling me I'll really actually be much happier in a life in the beauty world and that, actually, I'll learn to love the spotlight if it ever gets shone on me.
I'll make up my mind eventually. ^^
I think a lot of it probably depends on how passable I eventually am. Maybe then I can just joke about my past as though it never actually happened. For now, I'll just move forward as though I'll be sticking with the beauty industry.
Oh. And I dooooo intend to get back to writing eventually, I'm just waaay too busy this summer.
Abigail Drew.