Out of the "Norm"/Altered Appearances - Opinions

Sitter Questions, Advice & Chat
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*“Norm” Stand for normal

*Cliff Notes :joy: Would someone with out of the “Norm”/altered features about their appearances effect you submitting an application, or selecting them as a sitter? I would like honest opinion, and would like to know honest feedback why. Let’s have a discusion :slightly_smiling_face:

Hi Again Everyone :wave: :slight_smile:

I’ve had a lot of thoughts and questions come to mind today, and decided to ask for everyone’s opinion on another subject. A topic that crossed my mind today is appearances, and how it could impact selecting more a sitter, however could also effect HO getting applications. Would someone that has something different about them, that could be considered out of the “Norm”(Wild Hair colors, Tattoos, Piercings, any visual body modifications) influence your decision on apply for a sit, or selecting a sitter?

I will use myself as a prime example, however I will give you a brief history for my reason, and also I should note, I do touch on this on my profile as well.

If you look at my primary picture on here, and my main picture on my profile, you will see as of this moment (I have an appt on the 8th to change it again), I have dark blue hair. It wasn’t until recently did I decide to do something so wild and different. However my current career path as a Merchant Mariner(non military sailor) has allowed me change my hair whatever color I want, and honestly my employer doesn’t care as long as I do my job. However for the longest time before I started this dream career of mine, I worked in customer service based jobs for 25+ years. Everything from being an assistant store manager for an auto repair shop, to waiting tables oh so long ago. Oh course a lot has changed in the last 25 years, and for the years prior, you used to always have something as close to natural, and not stray to far from that. This is of course because of a lot of stereotyping. It is just now becoming more accepting for people to do these things. I myself have always been envious of others that have been able to do it, and of course after being in this field for over 2 years, I made the jump and changed up my hair, and I LOVE IT!!! I find it fun, and exciting. I have met more wondering people, and had some of the most fun interactions with people, and it all started with my hair. So I’m going to keep with it for a time, or until I finally give up and let the greys finishing taking over. :joy:

So with this, let’s go back to the question at hand.
“Would someone with out of the “Norm”/altered features about their appearances effect you submitting an application, or selecting them as a sitter?”

Would you even give myself, or another person a chance, just based on the fact they have changed something about themselves? Or would you automatically skip over them, and not consider them? Honestly you can apply this to many facets of people’s lives, but for the time being, we will stick with appearances. I would like to hear honest feedback and reasons for their answers, so that I may be able to see things from a different angle, or just understand it more. Plus It’s honest curiosity to be frank.

Thanks for attending my Ted talk. :rofl: And Lastly a picture of the last visit to the Salon, just prior to setting sail the end of January for reference.

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****Oh Oh Oh…I should also mention, I travel with my Night hair cap, 2king size Pillow protectors with pillow cases, and my own set of travels towels, so that I do not stain anything that I use that at hotels, airbnbs, or HO properties.

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At the risk of dating myself, in my best Joan Rivers impersonation “can we tawk?”

Who cares??
Well okay, yes some will object, be put off and egad, reject your bold confidence to freely express yourself.
There are people who will say no to others for any reason that to them is “life threatening” aka not their idea of normal.

This is the only thing that truly matters!
Don’t let anyone dull your Blue Diamonds
Besides there some pet owners who also have blue pink rainbow hairs

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Well I got the reference, so right there with you. I even read that in Joan’s voice :rofl:

So true and Thank you :heart:
I have no plans on getting rid of my colorful hair any time soon, however I was still curious what community’s here takes on it are. You know the saying “Curiosity killed the…” Well Never mind on that quote. :rofl:

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We all look differently in one form or another - I think your hair is a lovely colour - :heart: -

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I echo everything @Amparo and @Colin say - I love your hair and your confidence to express yourself how you want to and to not pigeon hole yourself into the “normal” box. Your sensitivity in asking the question speaks volumes about you as a person, whatever colour your hair is. I’d love to go red… keep saying it, never getting around to it… you may have tipped me closer so watch this space :slight_smile:

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I too love your hair and appearances wouldn’t stop me from applying for a sit. What’s important to me is if the house is clean and comfortable to stay in and that I can handle the pets responsibilities.

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To answer you main question - NO, your hair colour (or anything else out of the norm) would not matter to me or affect my choice of a sitter :-).TBH, lots and lots of people now have hair colour that was never intended to mimic a natural colour (love yours, especially the different shades!). Tattoos and piercings have become commonplace. If a home owner felt they could not choose your based on your hair colour you probably would not have much in common anyway.

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@Vanessa_A you know what I’m going to say (bats eyelashes)

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No matter your hair color, your experience, how great an application you submit, how carefully you craft your profile…whether or not a particular owner will resonate with you and want to select you is something that can’t be predicted or controlled. Don’t worry too much about it! You don’t want to bring that energy to your application…you’ll likely craft something that makes it seem like you are trying too hard to sell yourself and people pick up on that vibe, even in writing.

Some people may be ‘put off’ by certain things, like an aspect of someone’s appearance, while this same thing would be totally neutral for another or even make them like you more. There are so many opportunities on here and you want to do your best to remain detached from any to which you apply.

Don’t take ‘rejections’ personally–I think it is easy to forget that an owner can only pick one person and they often get multiple great candidates. So those who don’t get picked aren’t really getting ‘rejected.’ You often will not get the owner’s reasoning of why they picked who they did so don’t automatically assume they found something ‘wrong’ with you specifically. In most cases, that’s unlikely. And even if they did, it’s all perception and can’t be controlled. Nobody can be everybody’s cup of tea.

Good luck!

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Hi @BlueDiamondRose, I’m a HO, in my 60s with quite a number of tattoos, all designed by myself as I’m an artist, and maybe not the ‘usual’ tattoos, my husband has a couple and a plait in his hair…… I was also quite happy to dye my 14 year old son’s hair black and paint his fingernails black when he was going through a Goth phase many many years ago, so in answer to your question, no I wouldn’t be at all put off by someone who has altered their appearance… I’m unaware of my tatts having affected anyone’s opinion of me including sitting applicants…:grin::+1:t3:

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My hair has been every colour under the sun (currently purple) and I have a significant number of tattoos. Homeowners can clearly see both of these in the pics on my TH profile and since I’ve gotten almost every sit I’ve applied for, I don’t think it has ever been an issue.

I put a lot of effort into my application note and profile to give the homeowners a sense of who I am and instill confidence in my abilities and trustworthiness, and even more effort into being the best house/pet sitter they could wish for. If something as trivial as my hair or tattoos would steer them away, I would consider them to be doing me a favour, as they likely aren’t someone I would want to be associated with!

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Rose
I’m another sitter, so my views aren’t that useful, but - you hair color, tattoos, other body ornamentation make me no never mind (a southern way of talking). You’ve got a great review and your airbnb reviews are great, too. So if I had animals that needed sitting, you are certainly someone I’d consider!
And I’m fascinated by your job, having looked at your airbnb profile. I have a high school classmate who owns a pair of independent research ships on the west coast - a 50 foot former Alaska salmon boat and 50 foot shallow draft work boat. Jim Christmann — have you ever crossed paths? Also used to know a woman who commanded one of NOAA’s ships after she left an assignment in Washington where I knew her through the fountain pen collectors’ group. I only learned her job when she showed up at a meeting in uniform and I asked if she was a Public Health officer; she told me no, a NOAA officer and that it was the smallest of the commissioned officer corps. Sorry to have digressed. Sometimes when I’m on long sit….
Tom

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What is “Normal” anyway?

“conforming to a standard; usual, typical, or expected” …

Judging an individual based on how they adorn their personal “blank canvass” says more about about a person’s own insecurities although for some adjusting to “different” is a little harder, after all we are “only human.” We should be careful not judge in reverse.

There are 7,874,965,825 people on this planet and apart from identical twins we all look different, thank goodness.

It’s all about communication getting inside a person, not the view through the window, conversations like this is how we better connect.

Thank you for opening the discussion @BlueDiamondRose the character and heart of the individual is what’s important not hair or nail color choice … I’ve gone for red Vanessa and still wear 5 inch heels when some tell me I should be wearing support shoes :smile:

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Thank you @Angela_L
You always have such a delightful way of expressing how I feel but as you can see I am not holding back much these days.
Not shy to say I can’t be boxed, canned, or categorized. I live in the land of happy being me and discovering more and more about, well everything!
I no longer dye my hair but I sure paint my lips and line my eyes. I have no tats just scars, inside and out. Ironically I have come to love my grey and all the bits and fragments of this beautifully weird old me that is still sprouting and learning so much about people and the world.
I don’t have time to criticize anyone’s choices.

and of course here’s more. With everything that is going on in the world, it’s time to build not tear down.
We need each other.

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You speak on many valid points, and those are all ones, that I will have to work on. I do worry that I’m coming across as trying to hard, however I’m being the real me too. I don’t try to sugar coat stuff, as I can’t stand to be fake to be honest, but I do love to smile and have a good laugh, so I try to incorporate my humor into things as well. Life is too short to be so serious all the time.

This will be the part I know I will have the hardest time with, but I do understand how the system works, as I’ve done quite a bit of reading on the forums, and it seems others might have this problem too. So hopefully with reminding myself not to take it personally will help, or maybe at least in time, it won’t be quite as hard. I’m sure my first rejection will sting quite a bit, as that’s just who I am. I do try to use common courtesy in the things I do through out life, and will always reply to every message I get, or invite to a sit, and I really like to see others do the same. However just as in common sense, I’ve learned over the years, “Common” isn’t always so common in sense or courtesy. So sometimes you just have to except the sting and move on.

Thank you for your response, and the advice you have given me. :heart:

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That’s so wonderful to hear. Of course in the back of my mind, I was concerned it could have a greater impact, however it’s because of the many years of being told, it was not ok.

Awe, Thank you :slight_smile: You’re so very right, and honestly I love when I meet people that have things different about themselves. Those with Tattoos have many reasons, and sometimes fantastic stories to go along with them.

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Thank you, and That’s wonderful to hear. There is always more to a person than just the initial appearance.

I could not agree with you more. I’m always reading more into a picture than what is posted, is the bed made, is there a sink full of dishes, one I noticed there was even animal droppings in the pictures :nauseated_face: . If the house looks dirty or way to cluttered, I’m extremely unlikely to apply.

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Truly thank you, I have always prided myself on being the best me, even if it was outside of the box. I have been like that since I was a kid. I also enjoy bring up things and getting people to talk, as you could learn a lot about the world, and people around you by their opinions. :slight_smile:

You should really do it. As I have told my mother “It’s only hair, and I can get a wig if I don’t like it.” :rofl: She is normally not as amused about it as I am, but it’s the truth. It can always grow out, or a wig is always an option too. Darker red was the first color I started with, and now since I’ve been during blues, and Purples, I’m think I may try fire engine red next, or I’m evening think rainbow this next time.

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You’re so very right and thank you so much. :heart:

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Hearing this, gets me all kinds of excited. Thank you for that.

This is exactly what I plan to do, and have done. I know my abilities, and the love I share with all pets, and hope I can come up with the right words in my applications. I’m sure with the more I do, the easier it will get. I so far have only applied one for sit, but I have so many favorited, that I’m thinking about.

You’re so very right about this :heart:

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