I missed my chance to have green hair

On my trip back from Science Online London 2009 today, I finally had a chance to start reading the first book of Stieg Larsson's millenium trilogy. Near the beginning of the story, I was surprised to find Salander's boss wondering about what her reaction would be if he coloured his hair green.

This suddenly reminded me that colouring my hair green had, for quite a while, been something I really wanted to do (this was around the same time I kind of really wanted to play an alien in a science fiction movie, preferably with weird, cat-like eyes - or maybe green skin). I never did (colour my hair green), because it never quite seemed the right time. Even as a student and during my PhD, when I might have gotten away with it, I was reluctant to do it because I wanted people to take me seriously and was worried they might have a hard time if they saw some kind of grass-colored growth on my head (my hair was also extremely short at the time).

For many years now I have had grown-up jobs, and I had totally forgotten about the green hair. Reading about it and remembering this is quite nostalgic, because I would just never get away with it now - the chance is gone... and I really don't want it anymore. Tomorrow, at a meeting with diplomats from many European countries, would definitely not be the time to try it out.

I wonder about the number of things, including those more serious than green hair, we never try because we are somehow hung up on waiting for "the right time".

If you want to, go ahead and colour your hair green - because if you don't, chances are you might regret it at some point.