My hair-raising story, ala Laura Bower's BEAUTY SHOP FOR RENT contest, proves that the Power of Positive Thinking is sometimes a big ol' pile o' hooey. 

A few years ago When I was twenty, I dreamed about shortening my lackluster, shoulder-length locks into an airy, Princess Di 'do. The more I thought about it, the more it made sense: no one would notice my new braces if I had a fresh hairstyle to distract their attention. That's what I tearfully explained to those who asked me later, "What the heck were you thinking???"

Like most recent college grads, I was short on cash, so I ventured -- for the first and very last time -- into my neighborhood SuperCuts. (Need I say more?) Before I had time to explain the look I wanted, a scissors-wielding maniac spun me away from the mirror, grabbed a handful of hair, and chopped it into a senseless mess of short layers. I watched in horror as she unceremoniously dumped my shorn locks into the trash. Without waiting for a blowdry, I skulked out of the beauty shop, my dreams dashed and my self-esteem (temporarily) crushed.