A Shower and a Sink

Fresh, clean and temperate running water is one of life's basic necessities and it's also one of life's most taken-for-granted things that can be adopted in pursuit of happiness, well-being and even wealth.

Let's take the shower. There have been many great inventions over the years in this category. Most of us  shower at least once daily. There is nothing better to clean our hair and bodies. But not all showers are created equal.

Greatest invention #1: The stall shower

Worse invention #1: The shower curtain

Bathtubs were invented to take baths, not showers. Taking a shower in a stall is so much better than stepping into a bathtub and hoping you don't trip over the side or slide on the bottom which brings me to:

Worse invention #2: The shower mat

Egad. They get moldy, come in awful colors and never dry out because no one puts them over the bathtub side when finished.

Greatest invention #2: Speakman shower heads

Worse invention #3: Shower hoses

What's worse than taking a shower and the shower head doesn't have any pressure coming out of it? Speakman figured this out long ago and their adjustable shower heads maximize water flow so you can actually rinse shampoo and conditioner out of your hair.

Greatest invention #3: Single handle adjustable temperature control. Now here is where true science and technology come into play. Each of us has the perfect temperature that our shower must be. A smidgeon either way doesn't work. What's also amazing is that how different each of us enjoy the temperature of our shower. The BUB has the handle on middle RED and I have to have mine at middle BLUE.

What's does all this have to with anything you might be wondering? There is a method to my madness: The salon sink.

Unless you are patronizing a chain salon, the first stop at most salons is the shampoo bowl. Typically a shampoo "girl" gets you situated, tests the water temperature on your head until it is just right and proceeds to wash and condition your head.

But like all experiences, this one differs depending on which shampoo "girl" you get, to how each salon decides which kind of importance to attach to this service.

Greatest invention #4: The head massage

Worse invention #4: The lousy shampoo application

It's truly ironic. We wash and condition our hair daily with our own fingers. Like brushing our teeth, most of us don't spend long enough doing it. But when someone else washes our hair, the entire sensation is not only different, but truly enjoyable when done right. A good five minute head massage is worth the price of admission by itself. But too many salon owners miss this opportunity to differentiate themselves and even the shampoo "girls" lose a huge opportunity to earn bigger tips.

Fresh, clean and temperate water truly is one of life's greatest luxuries when all is said and done. Those that understand this best revel in all its benefits.

Happy Wednesday!