The

Undeniable

Ruth

®

…and the Ruth shall set you free!

  • I Minimized My Hair

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    Ruth Carter

    Love my new fuzzy head.

    For me, being a minimalist means that, when something doesn’t add value to my life, I get rid of it. Every January, I flip all the hangers in my closet, and only flip each one back after I’ve worn the garment. At the end of the year, whatever garments that still haven’t been flipped back are removed from my closet. This year, along with the hanger flip, I put all my t-shirts in a box and they’ll go back in the drawer only after I’ve worn them. There’s no point in holding onto clothes I don’t wear.

    A few months ago, I didn’t like what I saw when I looked in the mirror each morning. My hair was doing nothing for me. No matter what I did, I didn’t like it, nor did I like having to put energy into styling it each day. On the mornings I went swimming, I didn’t bother styling it. I rocked my bedhead to the pool. It was going to get wet and messed up anyway.

    The Decision

    After weeks of frustration and doing my last photoshoot of 2018, I decided to shave my head – and commit to keeping it that way for at least a year. I went to the salon and had them run a number zero clipper all over my head.

    Awh…much better.

    Living Buzzed

    For the most part, I like having a buzzed head. From the moment I wake up, my hair is ready to go. I wash my hair with my shampoo bar (affiliate link) after getting out of the pool, but otherwise, I spend no time on my hair day-to-day.

    I find myself rubbing my head when I’m stressed. I like the way it feels, and I never have to worry about messing it up.

    In terms of wardrobe, buzzed head works with my typical jeans and t-shirts wardrobe. I feel like a badass when I wear a tank top. The only time it’s been a challenge was when I was picking out my outfits to perform in Rev. Patrick’s Holiday Concert. I felt unbalanced wearing a big sparkling gown with my no hair. There was too great of a contrast, much like when I tried to wear dangly earrings with super-short hair in my younger days. It works for some people but not for others. I’m one of the others. (I haven’t changed the studs in my ears for years.)

    What worked for me instead of a gown was a jumpsuit. I’ve always been a fan of them. I’d love to have a Star Trek-inspired jumpsuit for everyday wear.

    Maintenance

    When my hair shifts from feeling fuzzy to being soft like crushed velvet, I re-shave it, usually every 10-12 days. I purchased a set of clippers so I can maintain my hair myself. I felt nervous before I shaved my head myself for the first time, but it’s really fun. And I learned the hard way you can cut your ear with clippers.

    Typically, two factors determine when I shave my head again:

    1. Whether I have a bike or run workout the next day. I keep my hair until that workout is done to keep my head a little warmer. (I also wear a hat for workouts in the winter, but it’s chilly out there!)
    2. When I have enough time to shave my head and vacuum the floor. Even with almost no hair, buzzing my head leaves a mess all over my bathroom.

    No Regrets

    I have no regrets about shaving my head for a year. It’s so easy. I like how it looks, and more importantly, I like how it feels – physically and emotionally. Some of my friends have been less than supportive, saying that I look better with hair, and maybe that’s true. But I’m the one who has to live with it.

    For now, I’m happier without hair.

  • Planning my Dream House

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    Ruth Carter

    For the last few years, I’ve thought about building a house from the ground up for my next home. I’m fascinated by homes that are off-the-grid, net positive, earthships, and tiny homes. I continue to strive to be a minimalist, and I’d like to have a low or zero waste lifestyle. A home should be in harmony with its surroundings and not a structure or a lifestyle that simply takes from the planet without giving anything back.

    I would love to work with a minimalist architect who could design a space based on my actual needs now, and what I would likely need in the future. The idea of designing house around your lifestyle instead of fits your needs “well enough” intrigues and frightens me. The scary part is letting go of what I’ve been socialized to think a home needs and instead focus on what I need.

    Recently, I saw a 13-part series called Building Green that followed the building of a green home from nothing. It inspired me to begin to think about my dream home in concrete terms. So far, I want a house with:

    I want to watch the stars while laying in bed.
    “meteo (missed focus)” by Kim MyoungSung from Flickr (Creative Commons License)

    Straw bale construction for the exterior walls covered in lime and earthen plaster and a steel frame – I know it sounds crazy, but it makes sense from a cost perspective, it’s great insulation, and it’s nearly fireproof. (I want a house where you rarely need to turn on the heat or air conditioning.)

    Blue jean insulation for the interior walls. It’s made from recycled materials.

    Lots of windows for natural light. I’d rather open a window than turn on a light. I suspect the house will need a wrap-around porch to let light in but keep harsh sun out.

    Single story. I’m not climbing stairs.

    Cement floors with radiant floor heating.

    Skylight or windows in the bedroom that let me see the stars when I’m in bed and blackout curtains for when I want total darkness.

    Whiteboard paint on the walls at least in my office.

    Built-in bike and skateboard racks on the wall or ceiling.

    Washer and dryer that are big enough to wash a king-size comforter.

    Solar panels on the roof. Cheers to California for making these mandatory on all new homes.

    Gray water system that uses the water from the sinks and showers and uses it to water the plants and a water collection system for collecting rain from the roof when it rains.

    Compost pile in the backyard.

    Doggy door leading to the backyard.

    Outdoor shower in the backyard (with a bamboo privacy screen). It will be handy when the dog needs a bath, and it sounds like a wonderful way to start the day.

    Edible landscaping. I have a dream of growing my own fruit, vegetables, and herbs in the backyard. If I’m super lucky, I’ll have a neighbor with backyard chickens and I can exchange produce for eggs with them.

    In thinking about my dream life in my dream house, I think I might want 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms (with showers, not tubs), 1 office (maybe 2), and an open kitchen/dining/living room area.

    For now, this is an evolving dream. The short-term goal is to pay off my condo completely and then save up to pay for my dream home in cash and move in debt free.

  • Thoughts about the Fire . . .

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    Ruth Carter

    Recently, area around my hometown was hit hard by wildfires – the worst reported in California history. Over 5,700 structures burned and at least 40 people lost their lives. People on site said it was like a bomb went off.

    For about 5 days, I watched the updates from inside the fire zone – both the official reports and the personal stories of the people who lost everything and those did what they could to help their neighbors. (Special hat tip to the Wilking Way crew who stayed behind after the evacuation order to protect their neighborhood with your own water truck. You are an inspiration.)

    I love this photo of Jeff and me. Photo by Brandon Larkin. (Creative Commons License)

    I wondered what I would grab if I were ordered to evacuate, knowing that anything I left behind could be destroyed. As I looked around my little condo, I knew I would grab my laptop, my passport, my dog, our medications, and not much more.

    I don’t feel emotionally attached to my possessions. They’re just things. Many of them make life more comfortable, but it’s nothing that can’t be replaced.

    I am not my stuff.

    Memories don’t live in sentimental items.

    People and actions matter more than things.