My Nails Drive Me Crazy

Even though I'm a THRIFTNERD, there are some luxuries I really don't like doing without. One is my gel nails. Boy, I miss those things.

Back in the early 90's, I worked two jobs and was the mom of a baby boy. One of my jobs was as a receptionist at my friend Saki's beauty salon. As employees,we received our beauty services at a reduced rate. That was my first experience with acrylic nails. The girl who did them was young and not very experienced, and as a result, my nails were unusually thick. They made things like typing on a computer keyboard, or mothering a small child, quite a challenge, and I soon gave up and had them removed.

Several years later, my ex moved us to Las Vegas, and we had another child. When Claire was 18 months old, I asked to have acrylic nails as my Christmas present. I didn't like having the ugly stumps that seemed to announce 'look at me! I spend my days changing diapers and cleaning up messes!' This time, the nails were much thinner and like a natural nail, and I ended up having them for most of the next 15 years.

By the time I lived in Delaware, my nail tech talked me into gel nails. Much more durable than the acrylic, they were fabulous. They were also expensive. I could count on shelling out $45 a month, with tip. It was worth it though, I loved them.

A couple years ago, things got a bit tight in the ol' budget, and the nails were the first to go. Oh, the weeping. I just figured I'd buck up and try to give myself weekly manicures. Haha. 9 times out of 10, I was cutting those suckers off. Unless I had them painted, you could clearly see the dirt under the nails after a day of working in a lawnmower shop. I don't even work on the equpiment -_-

There are magical times, however. Like right now, as my pictures above show. My nails are growing long and they're not splitting or cracking (yet). However, take a good look at those pictures. The left hand nails are beautiful.....straight and shaped with barely any upkeep. My right hand? Yeah, it's the return of Derpina. They aren't just hard to keep shaped because I'm a righty, they even grow crazy! WHAT. THE. HECK.

Evenings, when I'm relaxing in my chair in front of mind numbing TV (and NOT making jewelry), you'll find me filing away, mostly on that blasted right hand. Times like that make me MISS MY FAKE NAILS VERY MUCH!!

I'm just whining. I let myself get spoiled and used to the luxury of having my nails done. When I did, I just felt more 'complete.'

It's all a state of mind, I know. I tell myself this is temporary, one day I'll have my nails again.

Right now, it's time to watch another YouTube tutorial on doing my best at home :)