I’ve gotten updates from Chaz, her husband. An articulate and elegant writer, his emails give me pause not only to think of Lynn and her bravery in this battle, but the love and commitment that we could all hope for in times of trial. Here’s his update:

“I haven’t sent a message for some time. Isolating the median between superfluous, newsy chatter and the rigorous detail of life on the edge; therein lies boredom. Easier to retreat into the daily routine, the 24/7 symphony of this medical high wire act, and remain quiet.

Without the aid of predjudice or custom, and barely able to find my way across the room, here is the latest on the Minnesota patient. The clinic ‘team’ has attempted to evict us, three times within the last 60 days, to no avail. Twice, life threatening reversals (details to be spared) intervened, like a fresh pothole on a county highway, but we are again on the cusp of returning ‘home’, although neither of us is quite certain where that might be. Recall that on the day Noah built the ark, it wasn’t raining, so we, too, have prepared for any consequence.

Aside from being weak, short of breath, and emaciated by pharmaceuticals, the 115 lb. patient has a cheerful outlook and tells everyone in person or on the phone, ‘I’m just fine’, which has all the depth and substance of a wad of blue pocket lint in your favorite pair of levi’s. Receiving a new set of lungs builds character but does not make one virtuous.

For those of you who express concern for the caregiver, rest easy. Confused is the right word for my state. Too much has happened, too fast, both interior and exterior, that silence is the painless retreat. I’ve been too busy living the strange adventure to organize it mentally for your benefit or mine, hence, the raw mental lava. Forced to take a polygraph, I would pass, for all I know is that I know both less and more than when we left, but remain uncertain as to which is which.

Today, we’ll have a quiet Easter dinner at the transplant house, reveling in the bond of shared tissue. It will be delicious.

And if the weather permits, join with our friend, Joe Johnson, in a bit of flag waving.

A happy Easter to all of you.”

Chas

Lynn Spiher, a testament to tenacity

Creator/Producer/Editor: Christopher Hopkins
Videography: Robert LIndquist
Haircut: Christopher Hopkins
Hair color: Natalie Reponen
Makeup: Sarah Remer
Silhouette Analysis: Joann Hopkins
Location: reVamp! salonspa Minneapolis, Minnesota
Music: Julie Andrews, I Feel Pretty

Creator/Producer/Editor: Christopher Hopkins, “The Makeover Guy®”

Videographer: Robert Lindquist
Hair color: Natalie Reponen
Haircut: Christopher Hopkins
Silhouette Analysis: Joann Hopkins
Makeup: Amy Goulett
Location: reVamp! salonspa, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Music: Victoria Clark, “Before the Parade Passes By” from her album, Fifteen Seconds of Grace

I’ve been meaning to write you since 2008 – my life is totally amazing in so many ways, and pre-ordering your book was the first step to where I am today!

Too long to tell the entire tale, so Reader’s Digest Condensed Version:

• Husband left for overseas job March 2008
  

Before he left, family portrait; photographer used harsh lighting – I was shocked that I actually looked my age (that had never happened before). April 2008 (I think…) began the search for solid makeover advice specifically designed for women over 40 (my 45th birthday was looming in August).

• Found your book, gave it a try
  

I already knew several of the things you wrote about were spot on, so figured if you were right about all those you must be right about the rest; literally followed every piece of advice I could manage at that time. I noticed I was getting much better help in stores; clerks were actively seeking me out to see if they could help me, and I started getting free stuff from them and WAY better service. Old friends who hadn’t seen me in a while suddenly started referring to me as “hot” (really? Me? Hot?) Took a while to get used to, but now I expect it

• Started back to school that same year
  

I resurrected the Art Club, renamed it Team Art, graduated w/Associate of Arts degree May 2009, got a job, husband came home for a visit; when I picked him up at the airport, he said to me (this is November 2009) “How is it that you look younger now than you did two years ago?”

• Continued in school full-time, got a job as a computer lab aide at the college
  

I continued to frequently recommend your book to people who hadn’t seen me in a while and wanted to know why I looked so great (thinking you may owe me some royalties by this time…)

• Fall 2011 semester, filed for divorce the Friday before the semester started.
  

I knew it would be a tough semester but my intuition told me to ‘join student government.’

• Long story short: I am now First Vice President, along with a President and Second Vice President who are also go-getters like me (huge backstory there).
  

They started referring to us as “The Dream Team” when they found out we were at the helm as of February 1, 2012. On February 3 – 7, 2012, I traveled to Juneau with UAA Student Coalition members; packed a month’s worth of activities into 5 days (yes, really).

• And, this experience I owe to you:

Nick Pennington, Speaker for the Assembly of the Student Coalition, in his early 20′s, is from Kodiak; he and I ended up being the last two people leaving the hotel. We got a cabbie who also happened to be the dispatcher for the cab company. Nick mentioned Kodiak, and I said “my husband was stationed at the Coast Guard base at Kodiak in 1975.”

Silence from Nick in the front seat, then “I don’t mean to be rude, but wouldn’t that make you 50?” coming from Nick, who has now turned around and is leaning around the front seat to look at me closely. (Remember, we had just spent FIVE DAYS together in the same group).

I said, “Well, my husband is 54, but I’m 48.”

He gasped and said, “I thought you were 32″ whereupon, the cabbie reaches back, flips on the dome light and turns around to stare at me… for several seconds… we started to veer into oncoming traffic, and for a couple seconds I thought, “I’m going to die in Juneau on the way to the airport because I look 32 instead of 48, and it’s all Christopher Hopkins’ fault…”

My life is so amazing now; I owe it to YOU for teaching me how to look my best, and when that happened, I started to realize for the first time what a huge impact one’s appearance has on others’ reactions; I never used to get this much attention or respect. Despite the hardships, it seems easier to find ways to cope now; this past summer, I started running at a track; I leave first thing in the morning, don’t eat beforehand; have transformed my body into one looking much more fit than I have ever looked in the past.

My goal, when I got your book, was to tackle the beauty, makeup, fashion, fitness approach to a degree that I had the 20-something college girls jealous of me. Guess what? IT WORKED!!! Wish I had some decent pictures to send you; too busy living life to stop long enough for a photo session! Thank you, thank you, thank you for all your wonderful advice; I am certain it is because of you that my life is as amazing as it now is; I literally never dreamed I could have this much fun at my age! I’m looking forward now to getting older, instead of dreading it as I used to, thinking one day I would wake up looking like Granny from the Beverly Hillbillies!

Thank you again, Christopher; my 50th birthday is August 6, 2013, and I promise I will do everything in my power to come to Minneapolis to have YOU do a makeover for my birthday present! (Can I book an appointment that far in advance?)  I love you and everything you do!

Ever Yours,

Dawn Adamson
First Vice President, Mat-Su College Student Government
Mother of the three coolest daughters in the world
Stepmom of the world’s coolest step-daughter
Step grandmom of the two most adorable step grandbabies ever

Creator/Producer/Editor Christopher Hopkins
Videographer: Robert Lindquist
Makeup Design: Kami Kleven
Hair Color: Emma Carpenter
Haircut: Christopher Hopkins
Music: Kat Graham, “Sassy”
Location: reVamp! salonspa, Minneapolis, Minnesota 612 341 0404 www.revampsalonspa.com

As fate would have it, my body hair wish was granted, and for one brief moment, I had the look. But soon the fickle finger of fashion was pointing to the less hirsute  and I learned how to manage and maintain what was spreading like wildfire with no apparent plan.

As you may note in the chart below, like scalp hair, all body hair is not created equally. And as we age our body hair continues to spread to places we don’t want it while thinning in places we do. Add texture and color changes and it can be less than pretty.

Looking younger, more fit, and more attractive at the gym, pool or beach requires a bit more effort that it did in those crazy, lazy, hazy days of a 70′s summer. To illustrate this point I waxed my partner Robert’s nostril hairs on television.  It’s good entertainment.

Watch Robert get his nose hair waxed on KARE-11

Though the hairy body trend appears to be on the rise, those who choose to keep things in check

Manscaping:  Removing the hair you don’t want and grooming the hair you do.

There are basically 4 methods for men’s hair removal at home.  You can

• Shave
• Trim
• Wax
• Tweeze

If you are just a hairless casual groomer, you can get by with a just razor, a nose hair trimmer or scissors. But if you’re a high maintenance hairy guy who wants to be perfectly groomed head to toe, here’s what you will need:

• 1 hand mirror (to see areas you cannot).
• 1 10 to 20 X magnifying mirror such as Zadro 15X Magnification Spot Mirror, Black Finish
• 1 Razor. I love love my Gillette Fusion Proglide Manual Razor, 1-count Package
• 1 Trimmer I use the WAHL 5545-417 3 in 1 Personal Trimmer
• 1 Clipper I recently bought the Wahl 79524-2501 Chrome Pro 24-Piece Haircut Kitand I’m quite happy with it.
• 1 Tweezer My Favorite isRubis Swiss Tweeze Tweezers
• 1 Hard Wax Kit I use the Clean+Easy Pot Wax “Mini Kit”
• Prep lotion. Any shaving cream for shaving or for waxing I use clean + easy Cleanse Pre Wax Antiseptic Cleanser)
• After care lotion. Use you favorite after shave lotion but for waxing I recommend Follique Revolutionary Skin Therapy – Sensitive Skin 6 oz.

There is no set in stone method for men’s body hair grooming, but here’s a guideline.

1. Turn on the wax pot and set up your grooming area.

2. Choose your clipper size and begin at your shoulders working downward. (You can choose different sized guards for different areas, if want it simple and sleek take your number one guard and start mowing with abandon).

3. Vacuum.

4. Shower and shave.

5. Get out the magnifying mirror and shave and/or wax, trim and tweeze any unwanted and unexpected hair.

6.  Apply your after care lotion. I like Follique Revolutionary Skin Therapy – Sensitive Skin 6 oz. to help prevent red bumps and ingrown hairs after waxing.

Tips to take home

• Check nose, ear and brow hairs weekly unless you’re waxing, which will last up to a month.

• Body grooming, like a haircut, is best maintained from last from 4 to 6 week intervals.
  

• Shaved areas will grow at the same pace as your facial hair. Maintain as you would your face.
  

Here’s my take on just 5 of Spring’s top trends.

1. Color Blocking.

Diagonal color blockiing can be slenderizing, but pleats that pull accentuate flaws.

I love bright colors. But remember bright colors advance, expand and draw attention wherever it is placed. Put it on the parts of your body you wish to advance, expand and draw attention. Contrasting color blocking must  balance proportions for the most figure flattery. Vertical and diagonal color blocking is more slenderizing, horizontal and round color blocking the least. Colored separates can be worn with any variety of whites grays and beige for the more sophisticated fashion personalities and those of us … with the “patina of wisdom and experience”.

2. Big Head to Toe Patterns:

Large round designs add pouds.

Iffy, unless the pattern is small to medium. The bigger the pattern the bigger you’ll look. If you carry some junk in the trunk (and you don’t want people to stare at it as it walks away) place no pattern there. And of course, remember that round adds pounds. Any round patterns, (big polka dots, paisley, blobs, or big round flowers) will add visible pounds to your figure.

3. The Peplum.

Best worn on balanced figures, the peplum helps creates curves and adds fullness. Definitely an avoid for thick waists. A peplum can flatter and conceal depending on it’s hem, texture and colort. It can give the buttless some booty. It can make a “boy body” appear more feminine. It will tell the world if you have a very short or very long waist.

Not all peplums are created equally, but this one draws attention to a short waist and adds midriff heft.

4. Unexpected Nails.

Crafty glittered nails are often best left to the pre-teen crowd.

For daily wear, I use the guideline that if you wouldn’t wear it on your lips, then don’t wear it on your nails. Extreme trend colors, patterns and textures are best meticulously applied on young, beautiful hands and feet and should coordinate with the whole look.

Let’s break it down.

Young, beautiful hands.

Like young and beautiful bodies, young, beautiful nails have the most leeway with extreme trend. If you have aging or unattractive hands or feet, why i draw attention to them? Neon and Easter Egg colors are often best left for prepubescent experimentation.

Effective on young hands when harmonized with the entire looo.

B. Meticulous Application.

Any flaws screams “HERE I AM! with extreme polish. Chips, cracks, mis-shapen, nails or painted cuticles instantly take the look from trendy to trashy.

Natural, Nude and Neutral Nails complement any hand or any outfit.

C. Coordination with your look.

If your theme is nautical, bright sunny beachy colors make sense. Glitter, black, cement, chartreuse? No. If your theme is innovative rebel, a soft oval shaped pink doesn’t work. In a soft feminine summer dress, a chunky checker board pattern is confusing. Festively glittered nails can defeat your authority and should be reserved festive occasions.

Bottom line? The further from natural in nail shape, texture, or color the bigger risk of lowering your fashion I.Q.

5. Pleated Skirts.

Long flowy pleats are feminine and flattering.

Very short pleats flatter the very young and slim.

Pleats are meant to fall closed, perpendicular to the floor. The should never pull or burst open. You may need to go up a size if you have any prominent bulges such as a protruding abdomen or saddle bags.

Thigh stitched pleats lengthen your torso, hip stitched pleats help lengthen a short waist. Unstiched pleats elongate shorter legs.

An over blouse, jacket, or sweater hem looks best landing where the pleats begin.

!Karen came from St. Louis, Missouri to reVamp! salon spa in Minneapolis for her makeover. She wanted something fun, but professional. Her personal style came out more dramatic, but I would not have guessed that at first.

I hope you enjoy it as much as Karen!

Years later, we tried it again, settling in on what had become at reVamp! salonspa here in Minneapolis, a popular “Fer a’ Cheval” technique. With this (ok, it’s French for horse shoe) technique we placed a level 6 (dark) ash blonde at her nape, a level 7 (medium) ash blonde from the occipital bone to the crown, and a neutral level 8 to the fringe then scatter it with pale blonde highlights. It give her enough dimension while still minimizing regrowth. This video shows two women on the road to gray, and how each uses haircolor to help achieve a more youthful, yet individual approach to dealing with gray.

The extremely charming blonde reminded us of Felicity Huffman, best known for her work on Desperate Housewives. It is very fun to bring out the celebrity in each of you!

Joann, age 71, after going gray

As you age it is difficult to keep dark ash brown hair from looking harsh and severe. Highlights never really suited her and to lift the hair a shade pulled too much red for her “Winter” coloring. We experimented over the years and a cool red added to the natural brown gave just the right of warmth to keep the dark hair from looking flat.

As she moved into her late 60′s it became, to me, to look like effort. Since her hair had thinned she covered the scalp with Dark Brown Dermatch.This helped but it became increasingly difficult to cut and style her hair to look “like it use to.” Let me tell you there was some frustrating and tense moments in the chair. Mom’s hair has always been a VERY BIG DEAL.

Finally, she gave in. We started with a wig. Everyone loved “her new haircut and color.”

Mother Joann, age 66, still brunette

Unfortunately the wig was much thicker than her own, so it showed better than the multi colors growing out underneath. To make the process easier, we started foiling the hair light blond and using a violet toner, shampoo and conditioner. It was a LONG process, with more than a few “are we making the right decision” discussions. Fortunately her life love loves her no matter what which helps greatly!

When I look at her now I think she looks, not necessarily younger, but more beautiful. When who you are matches how you look, you can’t help but look right. I believe you can look frumpy, you can look desperate, or you can look just right. I think she looks just right. It’s who she is, it suits her as she now goes gray gracefully.

What do you think?