Beauty, Business, communication, Hair Care, health and wellness, Uncategorized

Choose wisely…

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Every time I began today’s blog, by the time I had written ten words, I hit delete and started again. The first attempt was about Moroccanoil. The second attempt was about the first day of school drama. As I was hitting delete time and time again, the Dixie Chicks song “Everybody Knows” came through my earphones. The lyrics “Looking through the crowd, I search for somethin’ else, but every time I turn around, I run into myself”. Okay…got the hint.

What I really want to write about is choosing your battles. Much too often I see women freaking out over something as trivial as a discontinued nail polish shade, or yell at their stylist because they can’t make them look like Christie Brinkley. I see women belittle a stranger because she happened to grab the last can of Shaper Plus. I have had a woman cry, I mean ugly face cry because the flat iron she wanted was on order and wouldn’t be in until the next morning. Seriously…take a breath, open up your compact and take a look at yourself. Trust me, I know how frustrating things can be when they don’t go your way or when something interrupts your plans…in the last 3 weeks I have had my washer and dryer kick it at the same time, literally seconds apart. My 40 gallon water heater decided it was done being the hijacker of my hot water and decided to set the  hostage (being the water) free…in my basement. While cleaning up the water, my shop vac decided it was time to leave this earthly realm. The cherry on top of this sundae…my air conditioner decided it was feeling left out of the appliance exodus and followed suit by blowing a capacitor.

What did I do you ask? I laughed. My husband thought I had lost my mind, and for an instant maybe I did. I could have pitched a fit, thrown a tantrum, called the company and freaked  out on the poor soul who happened to answer my call, thrown a flat iron…but honestly, how would any of the above helped the situation? Would any of those antics make the washer and dryer begin to work? Would the shrill of my shout make the water run back into the water heater? Would a glare and a stomp make the shop vac…well…vac? Nope. I could have stayed in a foul mood all weekend and took my frustration out on anyone who got in my way, friend and foe alike.

The point to this blog you ask? Well, like I said earlier, it’s about choosing your battles. Take a good look at the situation. Is it a problem or an inconvenience?

House is on fire = problem. Your hair has frizz = inconvenience.

Husband has a heart attack = problem. Hairspray nozzle is clogged = inconvenience.

Loved one is in the I.C.U. = problem. Water exodus in basement = inconvenience.

Loved one flat lined = problem. Flat iron on order = inconvenience.

Choose wisely my friends.

 

Beauty, Business, Hair Care, health and wellness, Uncategorized

Salon Etiquette 101

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As you all know by now, I manage a Salon/retail shop. At least once a day, everyday (yes, I am serious…everyday) I feel like Miss. Beadle from Little House on the Prairie. Not because I am teaching someone something new – because I feel like I am dealing with Willie Oleson’s bad behaviour or Nellie Oleson’s nasty glare. Now, I have come to realize that maybe some of you cannot help your behaviour. No one had ever told you that it is not polite to throw a flat iron or it isn’t the best idea to sit on the floor and try out the nail polish that you haven’t purchased. So, me being me, I have compiled yet another list for you. Consider it a class in Salon Etiquette. Oh…and for the stylists out there, you may want to pay attention, for this list is for you as well. Come on now…you and I both know that not all stylists out there are behaving nicely or showing any professionalism for that matter. Now class, take your seats and pay attention to the lesson.

Salon Clientele –

– When purchasing a hair brush, please do not take each one off the shelf and run it through your hair. You see, now we cannot sell that brush to another client and we also cannot return it to the manufacturer. Would you want to buy a hairbrush that some person just used? Didn’t think so.

– When purchasing nail polish…do not open the bottle and try the polish on your nail. Again, now we cannot sell that polish to another client and we cannot return it to the manufacturer. All polishes come with a color swatch so you can put the nail swatch up  to your hand to see how the color looks. To clarify, although the swatch is shaped like a fingernail – the color looks the same on a toenail. (yep…if you’ve read my blog…you know the story).

– Do not take the lid off every hairspray and spray it to see if it sprays evenly. Yes, I have been privy to many an explanation by grown women try to explain to me the aerodynamics of hairspray and how it “lands” on the hair. (not to be confused with AG aerodynamic Hairspray…a nice light hold).

– When you are in my shop, all my products are professional salon products and name brands. Everything I sell is good. It comes down to what you are looking for and what your hair needs are. Unless your name is Honey BooBoo, please refrain from the old time favorite “Whatcha got here that’s good? I don’t want any crap stuff.”.

– If you wax and are suffering with red bumps or ingrown hairs on your bikini line, you can just tell us. Seriously, we know what red bumps are and what ingrown hairs are…please…I beg you…unless you look like (and others think you look like) Cindy Crawford…we don’t need to see it.

– We have all had bad hair days. We have all been fed up with our products. Take a breath. When we ask you what you want your hair to look like and what products you are currently using, don’t get mad. We are not blaming you for your hair mishap. We are asking so we know where to start from, to see what will work best for you…don’t get angry. Take a breath, have a complimentary chocolate.

– Just because your last stylist or salesperson didn’t know what they were doing doesn’t mean we are all like that. Be nice. Give us a chance.

Now, for the stylists –

– When your client arrives for their appointment and are in your chair, I don’t care if they have been coming to you for 20 years…do a consultation! Ask them if they were happy with their last service, confirm what you are doing that day. Ask if they have had any life changes, illness or new medication – for all of these factors could affect their hair.

– Got a color service booked? Make sure your client hasn’t been using “at home” color. If you need to ask me why…it may be time to rethink your career choice.

– When you are styling your client’s hair, tell them what you are using. Tell them how much to use and how to apply it. Teach them how to do their hair. SELL THEM THE PRODUCTS!!! This way they can be happy with their new cut for longer than a day. (hey…if you won’t sell it to them…I will gladly help them out…oh that’s right…I already do.).

– When your client is mistaken about a product, don’t pull a Nellie Oleson and laugh at her misconception. Be polite…how about trying “you know, a lot of people think that, but actually” and fill in the blanks. You want your clients to be nice to you? Be nice to them. Respect =respect.

– When the appointment is over, clarify if they need any of the products you used. RE-BOOK them! Women are busy, between work and kids and liquor store runs, they will forget about their hair until that moment they catch their roots in the rear view mirror. They will call for an appointment and won’t be able to get in…and guess what…it is your fault (that is what they are thinking at that moment). Re book them and this isn’t an issue and when they come for their appointment they will feel like you care about them…and we all want to feel that.

So there you have it, Salon Etiquette 101. Hopefully you all have learned something and I won’t be forced to put you in the corner beside Willie.

 

Beauty, communication, Hair Care, health and wellness, Uncategorized

I’m looking for that girl in the red coat.

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I know that there is a full moon upon us, and it is the second one of the month. It is referred to as a blue moon, which is where “once in a blue moon” comes from. Well, that phrase doesn’t seem to ring true in my life lately for the events of the last few weeks happened more than once.

In the past few weeks any accomplishment has seemed to be belittled or poo-poo’d (don’t like poo-poo’d- call Websters and lets move on), on more than one occasion my thyroid scar has been pointed out and at, I have been questioned (with rolling eyes) about why I do a blog, oh…and my favorite, that my plans are just dreams and a “cute” way to spend my free time. I must admit, I started to let it get to me. I started to believe the hype.

It was at this moment a woman came into the shop and came right up to me and said “I am looking for that girl in the red coat.”. I shit you not.(pardon my french…sorry Dad). You see, thanks to Twitter, I had been tweeting daily affirmations to some of my rockin’ ladies who own businesses in town and she was always part of the tweets so I began to include her in my daily tweets. I shouted “That’s me!!”. I did, I kind of get excited and at 40 years old I shouted. We both laughed as we shook hands. She asked me about the shop, she listened to what I had to say. My ideas were not belittled, I was not told how “cute” my plans were and not a mention of my scar. That night when I got home, as I entered my bedroom, my copy of GUTS by Kristen Johnston fell of my shelf. Again…I shit you not. Again, although in different circumstances, another person reminded me that different is great.

What I am trying to get at without using a bouncing ball over my words is this…Be kind. I know, I have blogged about this before and all you want to know is what conditioning treatment is the best. (Kpak Revitaluxe…but I digress). Trust me, I will continue to blog about product knowledge, customer service and all things Salon. I will also continue to blog about kindness and courtesy. I will continue to blog about lifting each other up, not pummeling each other and our dreams into the ground. I have said it before and will continue to say it, I believe a little fairy dust goes a long way. Sometimes a little kindness helps remind someone of the beauty that is still in this life. Being excited for another person’s accomplishments, no matter how small they seem to you, can make the difference between their success or failure.

…and quite honestly, no amount of hair color, mousse or hairspray can make cruelty beautiful.

Beauty, communication, health and wellness, Uncategorized

You wanna keep that finger?

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I hear the familiar chirp of the door chime. A woman enters the shop and comes up to the counter. I greet her “Hi there, what can I help you with?”. With pointed finger she quipped “What happened to you? How’d you get that?” is what this lovely woman thought was the proper response to my inquiry. You see, I have a scar on my neck, courtesy of two thyroid surgeries. I tend to forget I have it but then I can always rely on someone emerging from the shallow end of the gene pool to remind me.

For an instant, I must admit I was angry and insulted, especially when asked “why don’t I cover it up”, but then remembered you can’t fix stupid. You see, I really do forget I have my scar. The surgeries were over 8 years ago. I was fortunate enough not to have cancer. My scars do not define who I am. I tend to forget that there are people out there that are miserable and petty and only feel good when making others feel bad and as I type these words I hear my father’s voice “not everyone is like you kiddo”.

I have had friends buy me a necklace just to tell me they bought it thinking it would cover my scar nicely. I have had people tell me about all the creams on the market that will help get rid of my scar. Once and for all, to be clear, I don’t mind it and I really do forget I have it, how I wish you would too.

My scar does not define me just as someone’s hair color, tattoo’s or piercing’s defines them. Seriously, ladies and gents, I know you all went to grade school and at some point someone, somewhere told you it wasn’t nice to point.

 

 

Beauty, Business, communication, Hair Care, health and wellness, Uncategorized

Have a complimentary chocolate

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Lately I have been enjoying reading my twitter feed with my mornin’ cup ‘o joe and haven’t been watching the news on T.V.. I guess I should have been watching. I must have missed Matt Lauer and George Stephanopoulos informing the public at large to yell and be angry. Did I miss the mass email? Was there a memo sent that my carrier lost? Did I miss the post on my timeline? ( I still get lost on that damn thing).

On more than one occasion I have been on the receiving end of this anger and it is at these moments I wish I could coat Prozac with chocolate and wrap it in pretty foil and offer it as a complimentary treat.

I had a customer in need of travel size hairspray and I had the exact brand she used (which is rare – that is another tale for another time) and as I was giving her her change I said “I hope you have a great weekend, the weather is supposed to be great!” to which she snapped “Hmmpt…easy for you to say, you the weatherman?”. (usually it is at this moment my mind is catapulted to the scene in As Good as it Gets when Carol tells Melvin that she wishes she had his problem…someone offering him a convertible and a weekend away…but I digress).

I had a woman get mad at me because I smiled too much. Seriously, she comes in often and on her last visit she asked me why I smile so much and was told that some people may find that annoying.

This past week I have been smirked at, ignored and given the “blank stare”. I receive these lovely gifts after I am asked a question about a product and I…hold on to your hat… answer the question. (You see…I give them an  answer that they don’t want – the truth). As the customer is snapping her gum, twirling her hair and shaking her leg  she asks “I want to be like blonde again, I don’t like the  like black box color anymore. Can I like do it myself at home?”. Trying my best to listen to her question instead of counting how many times she says “like”, I answer her with the exact opposite of what she wants to hear. I let her know that it isn’t the best idea to do it at home and I tell her of the possible outcomes if she tries to do it at home…hair breaking off, turning green or pumpkin orange, even pink or red depending on what is on her hair and par for the course I receive a scowl AND a blank stare…two for the price of one.(footnote…she was in her 40’s)

I had a woman demand an answer for why our debit machine was so slow. I told her it was dial up and sorry it took so long. She told me I should call my service provider and tell them she wasn’t very happy. (She didn’t seem too impressed when I didn’t jump and grab the phone.).

I saw a woman threaten to rip the “sticker family” off another woman’s minivan.

Life is short and time is precious. Choose your battles wisely. Let people smile, enjoy the extra seconds given to you by a slow modem connection, leave the sticker families alone. If you are looking for me, I will be the one smiling, sippin’ her cup ‘o joe and reading her twitter feed.

Beauty, communication, health and wellness, Uncategorized, writing

What would Leah do?

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I am sure by now that sometime in your life you have heard the phrase “What would Jesus do?”. Well, I understand and respect that is how some people live their lives and base their decisions. I try to live my life by “What would Leah do?”. You see, Leah was my grandmother’s name and she was the kindest person I have ever known and the most beautiful woman I have ever known…inside and out. Her hair was always set and she always applied her “liquid beauty” (foundation) everyday, and always left a pink or red kiss mark on my cheek. She had fur coats in her closet and always wore an apron in the kitchen. She and my grandpa would have their 5:00 o’clock Manhattan every night before dinner (if you were lucky – you got the maraschino cherry) and she always dressed for going out. In my eyes, she was glamorous.

Every week she would go to the Salon for her set and if I was lucky I got to go too. Going out with her was like being a part of a celebrity’s entourage (of course riding in her Cadillac didn’t hurt). Everywhere we went, be it the grocery store or the post office, everyone knew who she was. She always remembered their name and made them feel like they were the only person in the world and that everything they said was important. I can remember watching their conversation, and watching the other person’s eyes start to sparkle when they realized my grandmother remembered them and remembered their stories and I can remember thinking to myself “I want to do that”.

She always remembered birthdays, for family and friend alike. When you and life were having a battle and life was winning, a homemade lemon loaf or a kind note of support would appear at your door. When a grandchild needed a tissue one always appeared – sometimes from her sleeve if it was the fall or her cleavage if it was the summer. (no sweater to tuck away a tissue). When I bought my first home she arrived with 3 gifts for me – a milkglass vase, wood hangers (so clothes would hang properly) and a full length mirror. I was told to never leave the house without checking the latter.

Be kind. Smile as you pass others on the street. When you ask someone how they are – mean it and listen to their response. Before you leave the house, check the full length mirror and ask “What would Leah do?”

Beauty, communication, health and wellness, Uncategorized, writing

Surrounded with beauty

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Surround yourself with beautiful things. We have all heard it, read about it in magazines…bring fresh flowers into the room, paint the walls your favorite color, buy a great smelling shampoo, treat yourself to a great conditioning treatment, burn a scented candle, plant a tree. Yes, these are wonderful ideas. I have another idea for you. How about surrounding yourself with beautiful people. I’m not talking about Cindy Crawford and Brad Pitt (although he would be fun to look at while he served me lemonade). I’m talking about people that have more to offer to a conversation than “Can you believe Snooki went to the bar while pregnant?!” (no offense intended Snook).

This evening, thanks to a dear friend, I was invited to help celebrate a new found friend’s birthday. As I sat there, the laughter warming me more than the sun, I realized I was surrounded by beauty. Every woman at that table had a story to tell, every woman at that table was excited for one another’s achievements. Not a sour face was made nor a hurtful word uttered. Some of us were meeting face to face for the first time yet it felt we had known each other for ages. We were there to celebrate our friend, and in turn celebrated each other.

Life is short. Pardon my french…shit happens. Life gets in the way more often than not. It is time to surround yourself not just with beautiful things, but with beautiful people. People that see you – not just look at you. People that listen to you – not just hear you. We must reach out to one another and raise each other up. We must embrace these moments of beauty when we can and not let go.

 

Beauty, Business, communication, Hair Care, health and wellness, Uncategorized

Top 10 ways not to look like an ass at the Salon

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As I was standing in the check out line resisting the urge to  buy the M&M’s that were 3 for $5.00, all the beauty magazines caught my eye. “101 ways to achieve the perfect pout”, “Top ten helpful hints to get rid of crows feet”, “How to make him melt with just a look” were some of the captions I read, which got me to thinking, no wonder everyday I have women come into my shop thinking they know more than I do about products. Forget that I have been in the biz over 13 years and have been to every Product Knowledge class known to man, the gossip bible they refer to on a weekly basis told them that using coconut oil with their flat iron will make their hair shine! Yes, it will, and it will still be shiny as it breaks off and falls to the ground.

Now ladies and gents, no offense implied, but come on…you are taking advice from the same magazine that said that Elvis is alive and well and working at the 7-11. In honour of the “lists” out there, I have compiled a list of my own, call it a “how to not look like an ass at the Salon” list. Feel free to share it with your friends. (Some of these I know you have already heard from me. I am a firm believer that if you hear or read something enough you remember it).

1 – When you enter a store and the salesperson says “Hello”, say “Hello!” back, do not answer their greeting with “just looking” or “What did you say?” or a wave of your arm or the all time favorite, absolute silence.

2 – When you are asking for help, tell the salesperson what it is you are looking for, today. We do not need to know the life story of your issues with hairspray dating back to the horrific sock hop of ’57.

3 – Once you have asked a question, please let us answer you. Don’t speak over us or try to guess at what we are about to say. This isn’t a game show and there isn’t a free prize waiting behind door #1 for you if you guess what I am about to say.

4 – Be polite for gosh sake’s. Please and Thank you go a long way. Hell, I would even take a “peace out” when I tell my customers to take care as they leave the shop.

5 – Before you are about to lose it because the nail polish you so desperately need is discontinued, look at the birth date on your identification – if the date is earlier than 2007, you are over 5 years old and no longer allowed to throw a temper tantrum in public, you can save that crazy for your family, thank you.

6 – If you have small children that you cannot or will not control, bring along another adult or leave the children at home. Call me old fashioned, but there is a time and place for children and that time and place is not my shop if you are not going to make sure they behave or allow me to make sure they behave. They may be cute now but one day they will be an adult and an adult opening up all the containers and dropping product on the ground isn’t cute.

7 – When you are getting your hair done, let your stylist know if you didn’t like what he/she did with your hair on your last visit. If you don’t tell them they will do it again. If they don’t know you don’t like it, it isn’t very fair of you to get mad now is it? (refer to tip #5).

8 – Can’t make your appointment? Please call and cancel or call and re-schedule. First and foremost, at least at our Salon, if someone doesn’t come in for their appointment, we worry if they are alright. I know…can you believe it? It’s true. We actually care about our clients and their well being. Another reason to call is more often than not there are other clients waiting for an appointment. You would want first dibs on a appointment wouldn’t you? Well then…

9 – When we ask you questions, like if you are on any medication or if there has been any major health issues, we are not asking so we can tweet it on twitter or post it on facebook. We are asking because medications and stresses can alter the hair and how it takes color and other chemical services.

10 – I cannot stress this enough, do not throw the flat iron. Don’t do it. Don’t. Do not.

Don’t get me wrong, I know there are beautiful and wonderful and kind customers out there, most of the customers I see everyday are funny and kind and I look forward to seeing them every visit. I know that most of the time customers are rude or stand offish because they haven’t been getting any customer service of any kind and their questions have remained unanswered. This list is more catered to those among us that are mad at the run in our pantyhose, mad at our husband’s because they forgot our anniversary, mad because Oprah isn’t on everyday and you no longer have “AHA” moments. Well my lovelies, read the above list and consider it your “AHA” moment for today.

Beauty, communication, Hair Care, health and wellness, Uncategorized

Getting the stupid cut out

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I found myself thinking about the moment I knew I wanted to do a blog. I was at home recovering from my hysterectomy (or as I like to refer to it as “getting the stupid cut out”) and my hubby had rented Julie and Julia for me. I love this movie. When Julie said (forgive my paraphrasing) “I could do a blog. I can write.” I thought, “Hey! So can I.”. Then the ever present fear reared it’s ugly head. What will people say? What will people think? Will anyone read it? People will laugh and think it’s stupid. (Hey, I said I got the stupid cut out…it took a few years for the remnants of it to leave my brain.). Fast forward 2.5 years later, with trembling fingers, I typed out WordPress into the Google search engine and with butterflies in my stomach I began my adventure in blogging.

You see, I, like many of us, was letting fear decide my fate. Fear is ugly and this blog is about beauty, not just about the newest and most awesome conditioning treatment on the market (Joico Kpak Revitaluxe…had to say it) but about everything that makes us beautiful, our inner and outer beauty, our idiosyncrasies.

This week, I don’t know if it is because the universe has blessed us with two full moons in August, I have heard so many women saying I can’t, or what if, or I hate and fill in the blank. I think I have given out more hugs and words of encouragement this week than hair products. No judgement here ladies, I have been that girl, and she is a sad and lonely girl. I am here to tell you that you can do whatever you want. You can. Be it blogging or running a marathon or going back to school. You can do it. You must be patient – that is the toughest part – trust me – when I want something, I want it now…had to learn patience and trust me, I would have rather been back in grade 8 woodworking class with the teacher that was missing two fingers and teaching me to use a jigsaw than learn patience. Once you embrace patience and let go of the fear…wow…the life of your daydreams slowly becomes your reality.

Like I have said before, people are gonna talk no matter what you do, so why not really give ’em something to talk about. It’s time to be who you are meant to be, it is time to stop trying to be like someone else – that job is already taken. It is time to let go of the fear of what could be and time to anticipate what can be. (and if you use Kpak Revitaluxe your hair will look and feel fabulous).

 

Beauty, Business, communication, Hair Care, health and wellness, Uncategorized

If you don’t wanna play…get off the field

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Today’s tale is for our beloved clients/customers. Most clients/customers are too afraid to speak up because, well, the stylist is holding the scissors. So, I will speak for them. This tale is also being told in hopes that stylists and salon owners everywhere may learn something. Don’t make me get Tabatha after you.

It happened again. I know, how many times am I going to begin my tale with those words? A question that haunts me daily. Another ghostly mental question I pose to myself daily is this “why do stylists do that to their clients?”. Everyday, I mean EVERYDAY, I have a customer wander into the shop either scowling, pouting, weeping or staring at the ground refusing to make eye contact. What is the reason for these emotions and actions you ask? Poor client consultations and poor client/customer service. Plain and simple. These ladies and gents (yes…you pout too…the jig is up boys) have just left their Salon of choice without any explanation of what was just done to their hair and no idea of how to keep the new look or any information about which products will help them keeping their new do looking as it does at that moment.

Stylists! Your client is paying for a service. They are also your advertising. Guess what? If you don’t help them by giving them the proper products and teach them how to style their hair at home, they will go home and end up hating their hair and will blame you. Yes, you. They may return to you someday, but believe you me, they will have told everyone from the bank teller to the bag boy at the grocery store about how much they hate their hair and how it was your fault because of the cut/color you gave them. Trust me, I know of what I speak…I hear it from them everyday. When you buy a new cell phone, you expect the sales person to teach you all you need to know about that phone because you are paying for a product and a service. I think your clients deserve the same courtesy you expect, don’t you?

It is time to stop being lazy. Yeah, I said it, LAZY. Seriously, that is the reason why your clients are coming to my shop for hair advice.(well, and that I am pretty awesome if I do say so myself). If it takes 2 minutes or 20, I will take the time to listen and answer their questions. Sometimes they leave without a purchase, but they leave informed and feel like someone out there cares about them and how they look. Every stylist out there knows the right thing to do. They know they should have a consultation before each service, even if it is a client that they have had for 10 years. They know they should explain what products they are using and why and explain why professional salon products are better for their clients hair. It isn’t being done, I guess it is too much work…for them. These are usually the same stylists that complain they are having no shows and an empty chair.

We all want to be treated with courtesy and respect. We all want to look our best. None of us want to be left alone feeling stupid. None of us want to hate our hair. Stylists and Salon owners alike, take the extra few minutes and listen to your clients, take the extra few minutes and ask them if they need helpful hints on how to do their hair at home. Take a few minutes and ask them what products they have at home and if they don’t have the right products, show them which products are best and explain how to use them.

You never know, that client that you just rushed out the door with the new pixie cut and no product may be on the other side of the cell phone counter.