After telling my stylist–the wonderful John Cullen at Studio 2000, where I’ve been going since 1996, just above Larry’s Ice Cream on Connecticut Avenue half a block north of Lambda Rising–that I was conflicted about whether to stay long or go short, but that I’d been getting a fair number of comments on the longer, curlier hair, I left the decision pretty much in his hands. In the past, he’s generally recommended taking my hair pretty short, but this time we agreed to try something a little different, going just to the shorter side of in-between. He did a fabulous job of cleaning up the hated bushiness on the sides, while leaving some curls in front and some wave in back. Actually, I’ve never known anyone else who spends so much time focusing on cutting the back just right; today my boss, who had begged me not to get it cut short, nonetheless confessed that she thought he’d gotten it right, and specifically mentioned how nice the back looked.

So I’m pleased. It’s short enough that I can grow it out again if I want, but with just enough body to make it not look like the prototypical short gay ‘do.

Jeff went with me, so he got to meet John, who himself has recently become engaged. John showed me some pictures of his fiancee; she’s adorable. He also remarked privately to me how cute Jeff is, and out loud how much he likes Jeff’s hair; I concur. Afterwards, Jeff and I decided to do dinner downtown and headed over to Lauriol Plaza, but the huge crowds and estimated 45-minute wait changed our minds. We ended up at Mercury Grill instead, where we had a fantastic dinner outside at dusk on a (so-far) rare and very welcome warm spring day. We also ran into my dear friend Randy, the first friend I made in DC twenty-two years ago when I first came to town one summer as an intern at the State Department. It was so wonderful to see him, and to have a chance to introduce Jeff. All in all, it was a truly delightful evening.