I realized that pretty much anywhere in the U.S. has more humidity than Phoenix, but I had forgotten about my hair’s ability to measure the humidity. When I arrived at the airport in Dallas, Texas I immediately walked outside to grab a taxi, and the heat washed over me. I could tell there was a change in the air because of the sticky feeling on my skin that I recalled from my days of living in Annapolis, Maryland.

The real measure of the humidity came this morning. I dried my hair with a hairdryer, but left it a little damp for my trip downstairs to eat breakfast. By the time I returned to my room, just 20 minutes later, I could see the humidity in my hair. I was brushing my teeth and when I looked in the mirror I realized my hair looked scary! The hair humidity factor was the reason that I gave up bangs a decade ago and the reason that I continue to live on the West Coast. I have avoided this humidity for a long time, but here it was (my hair) staring me in the face.

Fortunately my hair was in need of a haircut, which here in Dallas meant that it was just the right length because the humidity shrunk it up at least 2 inches. If my hair was red and a little shorter, I would have looked like Shirley Temple (for those of you old enough to know who that is). If my hair was a bit longer, I would have looked like Sarah Jessica Parker. My hair was curly, frizzy and wild. Too bad I didn’t have a wacky wardrobe to distract people’s attention from my hair like she does.

At least I knew this hair condition was temporary and would return to normal once I deplaned in Phoenix later in the week. In the meantime, I had to live with the hair and hope that I don’t petrify my new coworkers. All I can say is, thank goodness for hair elastics! Besides getting back home to see my family I was also looking forward to seeing my hair return to a straighter state in Arizona.