In case you don't know, I have curly hair. Lots of people do, but many curly-haired people disguise themselves by using straightening products. Nine times out of ten, TV makeover shows "improve" the "terrible style" person's curly hair by making it straight.

It's true that straight-haired people want curl and curly-haired people want straight. What I wouldn't give to run a brush through my hair mid-day and not turn my head into Helena Bonham Carter -- nay, Helena Bonham Carter as Bellatrix Lestrang in Azkaban Prison.

I had about two heads worth of hair - maybe three - on my head in high school, pre-layering. NO LAYERS! This picture (below, not above) is from my freshman year of high school. Blunt haircut, about a grapefruit sized ball of mousse and a ton of Aussie hairspray. My hair was about to eat my head. It mutated at will.

Since then I've gone mid-length, long, short, long, short, and now mid-length again. My curls relaxed a little after having kids (different hormones, seemingly more oil) and there aren't many more options unless I go straight. And really, at this point, straight hair only works for me for one day. More than that and I start to get a little wonky. After coming to terms with my curl around age twenty, straight hair makes me feel like I lost my mojo.

Hm, just realized that I'm wearing purple in all of these photos. That's a mint julep and a lobster in my hands, in case you're wondering. I like purple and good eats.

So what's my new style? I'm looking at these ladies. But not necessarily their facial expressions, because the lip biter seems kind of tense or hungry.

Any curly hair sympathizers out there? Any straight-haired people who want to moan about not being able to hold a curl? Well go brush your hair. I hear it feels wonderful on your scalp, but I wouldn't know.

More hair-raising articles on Today's Mama...

To Ma' Boys: How I Met Your Father ... including more terrible school pictures

How to Make Your Own Hair Detangler

Things I Tried