If Punky Brewster were a 40-something suburban divorced woman, she would be a skunky cougar... which is how I look and feel.

This week I received a gratis cut and color for agreeing to "model" clothing and hair at a Ladies Night Out in a salon -- in mall!

I appreciate freebies, but this particular freebie combines my two most loathed hair trends --

1. highlights that look like 1970s "frosting hair"
2. the chopped up bob with various layers showing

I was explicit about wanting one length and not wanting any sort of layered choppiness to my hair. Additionally, I was very explicit about wanting subtlehighlights. Trust me when I say that photo hides a multitude of sins.

One washing and my natural wave will make those layers look even worse unless I commit to flat ironing. So much for growing out my hair. After June 7th, I will be channeling Sinead O'Connor circa 1987.

I do want what I haven't got -- my perfect hair style.

Today marks tenth months of living my new life in Pittsburgh. I wish I could say that I do not miss New York -- even upstate -- but I doubt if I will ever stop missing New York. The city is under my skin, and it always will be.

Poke Me

Late last week, my father went to pick poke with a friend. I have read about poke, but I had never eaten it. I was so pleasantly surprised.

My mother blanched it, and then she sauteed it in olive oil and (a ton of) garlic. I ate a generous portion with a baked potato for lunch yesterday. Poke reminds me of spinach, but with a much more subtle flavor. An added benefit is that poke does not make my teeth "squeak" the way spinach does.

Have you eaten poke? How do you prepare it?