Having your hair done the day after your son has massacred classmates and killed himself seems to make no sense unless you yourself have had a sudden, shocking, emotionally traumatic experience. The only way anyone can cope with that trauma (and in her case that burden) is to go about what s/he would have done absent the trauma. It’s a coping mechanism to hold onto what you can that’s ‘normal’ when your entire world has imploded on you.
yes--i call this "doing the next thing." we faced a major trauma in our family two years ago... having ordinary things to do is what kept me from falling apart completely... i did have moments of falling apart...