When I was really young, I had stick-straight hair. Even perms didn't last very long for me. Then, I hit puberty, and the hormones produced natural curls. Most people would have been delighted, but I was infuriated. I spent all of my junior high and high school years struggling with my locks to keep them straight. I showered at night, slept with my hair encased in ace bandages and tried about everything else I could think of to straighten my hair.
At one point in college, my roommates asked me what my hair would look like if I left it curly. I had no idea, but after some encouragement from them, I decided to find out. The results were pretty startling, and I remember receiving a lot of double-takes and compliments on my curls as I continued to wear my hair that way.
Almost 10 years later, people still comment on my curls. Particularly when they first meet me. People who see me everyday, however, are more likely to comment on the rare occasion I straighten my hair (MAYBE 10 times a year). I guess it's just because it's different than what they're used to, just like the curls were new when I first started wearing it that way.
I also receive a lot of compliments on my writing -- mostly columns or the free writing I do, but occasionally I get compliments on the news and features I write. That feels pretty good (perhaps better than the compliments on my hair), because even though being a writer comes naturally to me, I still put considerable effort into my work. It's nice to have it appreciated.
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