keep it simple
reduce
streamline
shorten
that’s exactly what
i was thinking when i chopped my mop
it was a deliberate act,
one that was 5 years in the making
i always said that
i’d donate just one more time
before age made my tresses
dull
and lackluster
and i succumbed to artificial coloring
i dreamed of braids
and curls
and ribbons
and chignons
what usually ended up happening
was a simple plait down my back,
heavy and cumbersome
and not at all cute
for months i daydreamed
about the shorter locks
on the day of,
dear sweet dw sniffed the crown of my head,
rather feverishly,
before setting out for work
knowing that when he saw me again
that evening
i would look a different woman
in the less than 3 years
we’ve been together
i’ve always worn the longer do
nowadays
if it weren’t for the frigid temps
i could go without blow drying
and even if i were to do that step
it takes less than 5 minutes
to get my hair in order
with 18″ gone
i’m due to see my stylist
more often
for maintenance purposes,
for now anyway
seriously
this simplifying thing is
awesome
mango pomegranate guacamole
from Gourmet ~ November 2008, by Lillian Chou
**note: speaking of simple, i’m all for just avocado, onions, lime juice, & cilantro. it’s your standard guacamole. but the addition of tart mango and pomegranate seeds makes gives this simple dip another type of dimension. the regular version is just fine, in fact with the correct ratios it’s great.
2 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted, halved and then scooped out
1/2 onion, finely diced
1 red thai chili, finely diced
juice of 1 lime
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
1 mango peeled and cubed
1/4 cup of finely chopped cilantro
salt/pepper to taste
basically, put everything in a bowl and mix. if you want, mash the avocados. eat with chips. repeat.
serves 4 – calories: 28 | total fat: 0.3g | sodium: 136.2mg | total carbs: 6.4g | dietary fiber: 1.6g | sugars: 4.6g | protein: 0.5g
other yummy dips:
food loves writing — lacto-fermented salsa
homesick texan — green sauce
homesick texan, via a cup of jo — summertime salsa
she simmers — shrimp paste relish with lime rind
morestomach 
First off, your donation? Amazing and surely appreciated.
Second: photo of your cute, new, simplified hair, please.
Third: mango pomegranate guacamole? Well, that’s a whole new level of awesome.
i’m thinking about it. might post pic. please stay tuned
Yes to simplifying and I need this guacamole in my life!
it is so easy to make, it’s worth having in your life, i promise
i always wore my hair very long, down to my backside and the first time i cut it, i went pixie short. my hairdresser was afraid to do it but it was such a wonderful feeling!
and i can’t get over the beauty of that guac.
I don’t know if I’ve gushed about this enough yet but your new cut is SO CUTE. It’s suits you so well, and your donation is admirable. How cool! I’m willing my hair to grow longer faster, but I think it’s true that shorter locks are much more simple to manage. This guacamole sounds so great. We just had a burrito night, I never would have thought to add these colorful fruits to the guac!
you, as always sophie, are so sweet. i enjoy the 5 minutes it takes me to get ready for work after a shower, if i’m feeling particularly lazy, i won’t even comb my hair, much less blow dry it!
Way to brave the chop! Way to chop guacamole!
Okay, that’s enough of that. Glad you’re enjoying your new hair. Or, your old hair, but shorter. I chopped my waist length hair into a bob and then kept chopping till it was a pixie a few years ago – it was great. Now it’s slowly growing back and I haven’t decided whether to love it or hate it…..
my stylist tells me that the pixie cut is the new look in the coming year. quite the departure from the long flowy locks these last few years. i do miss braiding my hair though, and make do with braiding my bangs.
i love short hair dos but havent had one in two years now. are mangoes still around?
mangoes is actually something that dw enjoys and it’s an indulgence for us, as it’s obviously not local. if i see them on sale, and they are organic, i will grab one. i think this guac would be just fine with pomegranates, though the addition of maybe a tart apple could be good.
apple sounds very refreshing 🙂 I find so hard to find mangoes here.
Such a beautiful post:) Love the simple guacamole with mango and pomegranate combination, sounds so delicious! I had short hair for so long and I loved it, It is so simple to handle and so fancy too:) I wanted to cut my hair short again but need some courage:) Love to see your picture with new hair do!
i am considering a post with a pic of my hair, i just need to make sure it’s not too indulgent 🙂
Welcome to the wonderful, confident world of short haired women (I’m uber hooked on my super-short pixie). Isn’t it liberating!
This guacamole looks fantastic! Love the mango love. 😀
This looks lovely; it must be so refreshing and addictive! I keep meaning to post a recipe for a cranberry-avocado guacamole/relish that my mom used to make; this has made me realize that pomegranates would be a nice addition to that, too!
And I am 100% in favor of anything with mango. I love making mango/avocado salads with tangy lime dressing, too—though this is a major improvement over my salads, not just because of the pomegranate but also because you can eat it with chips instead of a fork! 🙂