Corey has surfaced in Taiwan, apparently... haircuts and short people, oh my!

This was our conversation on Saturday night BEFORE Corey left for Taiwan:

[23:49:14] mrptptpt: I was busy cutting my hair... which apparently took me a hell of a lot longer than I thought since it's almost 1 AM now, geez!! I probably started at like 10:30? I didn't think it took me even close to that long...
[23:49:14] mrptptpt: Jane told me not to cut it because she likes it longer on me. the top is barely shorter, but the sides and back sure needed it. I think it looks way better now.
[23:49:15] mrptptpt: she's not here now, but I left her a message saying I messed it up pretty bad and had to shave it all off :P
[23:49:16] mrptptpt: I just told her that same story the other day, so we'll see if she buys it
[00:03:00] AlenaBrolxFlami: how much hair do you HAVE if it apparently takes you two and a half hours to cut your hair?!
[00:03:24] AlenaBrolxFlami: HAHAHAHAHA
[00:05:30] mrptptpt: well... #12 on top, #10 on the upper sides / lower top. upper back, #6 a bit lower than that, #4 on the lower sides, #2 on the lower edges... some blending between each of those stages (at least 3-4 blends... you just put the one you just used on long mode and go up slightly higher, so you get an in-between length between the edges where you cut the different lengths.. blends it together.. then I used the bare blade in long mode to do a rough draft of the back of my neck...
[00:07:01] mrptptpt: after that, it's shower time because there's too much loose hair on my neck to finish the edges up :P after that, which was a full shower which I take too long doing normally, bare blade on short mode to get the neckline right (which involves awkwardly holding a mirror behind me so I can see what I'm doing), then sideburns... a few touchups here and there.... then another shower (quick one) to get rid of all the other loose hair
[00:07:30] mrptptpt: but simple answer, I have a lot of hair :P the first step on top took a pretty long time since I made like 50 passes and hair kept coming off
[00:07:50] mrptptpt: it's pretty thick
[00:08:56] AlenaBrolxFlami: yeah, it certainly seems that way... I remember cutting someone's hair for him, and it seemed it was thick too
[00:09:05] mrptptpt: I could get away with less steps before, but now I have the longer combs (1 1/2" and 1 1/4"... it came with 1" as the longest) I need to do more since it'll be too long on the sides if I do it with the normal amount of steps
[00:09:30] mrptptpt: so short on the sides, more blending to the top
[00:11:55] mrptptpt: she shouldn't complain much, it looks a lot better now. not really shorter (maybe 1/4" off the top... I cut my hair not too long ago) but I did the sides too long last time... it looked fine when I cut it but they grew out pretty quick. so my hair just looks a lot nicer now, not really much shorter :P and if she complains, I guess that's just too bad
[00:14:18] AlenaBrolxFlami: ha... well, I guess you'll see what she says later :P
[00:18:10] mrptptpt: remind me to pack my combs and my razor and my nose bottle thing in the morning, I had to use all that, so it's all wet and needs to get packed again :P actually, my combs never were packed, but I thought of that tonight as I was using them... that would be helpful to have :P
[00:18:16] mrptptpt: and my laptop power cord :P
[00:19:03] mrptptpt: oh crap, she just came back. I shut my webcam off so she can freak out about my hair before I show her
[00:20:25] mrptptpt: OH
WHY YOU CUT YOUR HAIR?
[00:20:39] mrptptpt: I corrected her on that second line's English, don't worry
[00:24:09] AlenaBrolxFlami: I won't be around too much in the morning.
[00:26:20] mrptptpt: well, I probably won't be on here either, but remind me anyway! :P I might be here after lunch for a bit, actually... I don't leave until like 3 PM
[00:27:46] AlenaBrolxFlami: well, I can almost guarantee that I won't be home till then my time, unless it goes even later - restaurants are going to be BUSY AS HELL with Chinese New Year / the Olympics / Valentine's Day!
[00:28:12] AlenaBrolxFlami: (but in the morning - providing we're both signed in and I don't have to restart - I think I will remind you anyway - made a note to myself)
[00:28:29] AlenaBrolxFlami: and... nose bottle?! okay.
[00:30:39] mrptptpt: a sinus rinse thing. I got it recently, and it's about the best thing in the world if you get plugged up much... I kept waking up almost totally unable to breathe, and you can't just take decongestants and stuff all the time.. I have some nose spray that works, but again, it's medicine and not good for long term....
[00:31:40] mrptptpt: anyway, this thing sprays water up one side of your nose and out the other, which is kind of weird, but if you do that at night and in the morning, you'll breathe clearly forever. it's great. it's just saline (salt water), so all I do is dump a bit of salt in and shake it up a bit. plain water would sting
[00:32:02] mrptptpt: if I don't use it, it's a huge difference
[00:32:27] AlenaBrolxFlami: yeah, that doesn't sound too good
[00:33:07] AlenaBrolxFlami: why would you be almost totally unable to breathe? the altitude there?
[00:33:11] mrptptpt: I get all dried out too, which is probably the main problem. hopefully, it won't be as bad in Taiwan since it's more humid there (one of the few perks to humidity, I guess).. it's very dry here
[00:33:18] mrptptpt: no, just dry and plugged up
[00:35:06] mrptptpt: there's also something wrong with one side of my nose as of a couple years ago, and it takes almost nothing for it to be really plugged up and blocked... so it doesn't take a lot before I can't breathe well through my nose. it's the side I usually have down when I sleep, so maybe stuff just gets stuck down on that side overnight and built up over time? I don't know. but this thing keeps everything working fine :P
[00:36:41] mrptptpt: the real thing is called a neti pot, and is an Indian head-cleaning yoga thing
[00:36:49] mrptptpt: mine is a plastic bottle you can squeeze for pressure, and it was only $3 :P
[00:37:39] AlenaBrolxFlami: has this always happened?
[00:37:56] AlenaBrolxFlami: oh, I've heard of neti pots, yes
[00:44:22] mrptptpt: well, I would suggest getting one (the kind I have is probably easier, since you have to tilt your head way sideways with an actual neti pot) if you ever have allergies or any problems breathing... it would probably be amazing during a cold, too. they try to sell you premixed stuff to put in it, but all you need is some salt :P so $3 and a bag of salt that will last forever
[00:47:58] AlenaBrolxFlami: regular salt or sea salt?
[00:50:10] mrptptpt: just non-iodized
[00:50:10] mrptptpt: my dad had a big box of Kosher salt that he puts in the pond sometimes if it needs it. that's what I've been using
[00:50:12] mrptptpt: I filled up a little container and haven't had to refill that since I got it... I filled it up again since I'm leaving, but just that little container, which is barely anything out of a big box of salt, lasts weeks if not months
[00:50:48] mrptptpt: I took the cap off of a tiny travel size lotion or shampoo bottle, and that's my scoop for it.. seems to be about the right amount, and i had trouble finding something small enough to not spill salt everywhere since the opening in the bottle isn't that big... big enough for their packets though :P
[00:51:01] mrptptpt: a small funnel would work, I guess
[01:00:12] mrptptpt: my only problem with it is that I didn't get the bigger one. it seems to run low too fast this way and I have to refill it a few times. mine is the standard 8oz, there's a 16oz too. I'll probably buy that one too sometime. I'd buy one for Jane (she has allergy problems) if I knew where to buy one locally.. I ordered mine
[01:08:34] AlenaBrolxFlami: so could you order one for her instead?
[02:59:00] mrptptpt: I could order one if I was planning this earlier and had time for it to get here first :P
[02:59:06] mrptptpt: I need to go to bed.. I was doing other stuff to finish getting ready
[08:11:38] AlenaBrolxFlami: yeah, I went to bed too - your reminder showed up in my dream :P
[08:12:54] AlenaBrolxFlami: that does make sense, though.... pack the COMBS, RAZOR, and NOSE BOTTLE :P
[12:42:28] mrptptpt: actually, it's a sinus rinse bottle, but it's packed and ready to go, thanks :P
[13:36:43] mrptptpt: annnd almost time to go. I might be online for a while in the evening (in the same time zone as you!) depending on free wifi and power plugs in San Francisco :P I have a 3 hour and 40 minute layover (last time, I had two hours and allllmost missed it.. planes get delayed all the time at this time of year because of snow, even if it's not snowing where you are or need to go.. they got snowed in at their last stop back east somewhere or whatever, and are late)
[13:37:17] mrptptpt: I'll probably be on MSN if I am
[13:37:54] mrptptpt: maybe here, I don't know. I don't want to risk using laptop power before scoping out power outlets on the long flight, so phone MSN is probably it :P

TONIGHT, after the update on recent events:

[01:09:46] mrptptpt: I need to go get ready, I asked Jane if she would talk to you, but she says that's weird, so I guess she's really rude and horrible. at least I think so. what a horrible person. she's short, too. short people are weird
[01:15:13] AlenaBrolxFlami: do you WANT me to yell at you?! I'm sure Jane will do plenty of that if she sees this message, or if you tell her that she's rude / horrible / short / weird :P
[01:23:20] mrptptpt: she watched me type it. not as much hitting or yelling as I thought, and she's watching this now and also not yelling
[01:23:56] AlenaBrolxFlami: as you thought? Hmm... Jane, get him back LATER. :P
[01:31:43] mrptptpt: she doesn't like being a sandbag
[01:32:02] AlenaBrolxFlami: what nonsense have you told her now? :P
[01:32:11] mrptptpt: I don't have that here and she's like the same weight, but she doesn't like being exercise equipment or something
[01:34:27] mrptptpt: she doesn't even like it if I pick her up normally :(
[01:35:48] AlenaBrolxFlami: oh, okay... in that case, how would you like it if someone used YOU as exercise equipment?!
[01:36:03] mrptptpt: I'm not a little tiny person, so they won't
[01:36:50] AlenaBrolxFlami: what about the REALLY BUFF GUY that most gyms seem to have? :P
[01:36:51] mrptptpt: we tried to buy shirts today, but I'm bigger than the biggest size the stores have............ we found an XL that mostly works. I am NOT an XL at home :P
[01:36:58] mrptptpt: so I'm huge here
[01:37:15] mrptptpt: I'll tear his arm out of his socket if he tries
[01:37:24] AlenaBrolxFlami: ah, got it
[01:37:32] AlenaBrolxFlami: that's pretty crazy!
[01:38:16] mrptptpt: well, we're leaving, and apparently I have to play mahjong
[01:38:24] mrptptpt: not sure how well that's going to work
[01:43:47] AlenaBrolxFlami: haha - good luck. the first time I played, I won

Haha... good times! (he told me later that he didn't play after all, because they ended up leaving)