The Early Bird

Every Saturday morning my Facebook feed is full of my friends posting way-too-damn-early-in-the-morning photos to brag about their kid's high score at the soccer or basketball game, cheerleading competitions, going kayaking, camping, bike riding, or eating breakfast. So, I'm gonna show you what I did on this fine Saturday morning. 

I slept in late. Then I wrote a blog. I spent the next hour and a half talking to my best friend on the phone. Never mind that we live 20 driving minutes away from each other and spoke on the phone for nearly three hours last night, and we are going to lunch together in 20 minutes. Then, just after 1pm I rolled out of bed, make my bed, and I'm already dressed. 

That's true ambition and what I call being the early bird! 

Product Review: It's A 10

Multiple colorings have left my hair fried. I have to deep condition every time I take a shower and it is still difficult to get a comb through my wet locks. 

I've been asking friends for recommendations on a product that will make my hair manageable, if not at least tolerable to get a comb through it. 

The only product referred to repeatedly is It's A 10 Miracle Leave In Conditioner. Plus, every one added that it smells so good. Two friends even claim that men that are strangers will approach them in public to comment, "How delicious your hair smells."

I was not in a hurry to try it, how fantastic could it be? I eventually get online and order a 4 ounce bottle for $11, which is approximately $7 cheaper than Wal-mart. 

The It's A 10 website claims it is a miracle product. From what everyone has been telling me I believe it. 

When It's A 10 arrives in the mail I can't wait to spritz it on my hair. I want to smell  this candy deliciousness my imagination has been fed. I'm thinking this product is generating the type of hype and reaction that Herbal Essences did when it first came out in the late 1990's. College and high school girls across the country would flip their hair and simply from a hair tousle a spectacular clean scent fills the air. The five closest people in proximity would instantly know, "She uses Herbal Essence." I want that from It's A 10. 

I rip open the package and pull the bottle out. On the back it says, "Flat Iron spray & thermal protector." 

J2 and I are going out and I am preparing to straighten my hair. I flip the cap off and immediately start spritzing it in my dry hair. To the left, to the right, backwards, forwards, I am tossing my hair every direction to get maximum coverage. Me standing in the bathroom looks like an 80's hair band video. 

My hair is sticky. I am having a very difficult time getting a comb through it so that I can hit it with the Hot Tools 2 inch barrel curling iron. When I complete combing a single section the strands immediately stick back together like I have a candy cane tangled somewhere in this rat's nest. 

J2 comes home. He walks in to kiss my forehead but stops, "What is that smell?"

I thought it was just me, but no. It's A 10 smells bad. This is not the candy deliciousness I was promised. It has a chemical smell that is turning my stomach. 

J2 asks me, "When will you wash it out of your hair? I can't stand it. Please don't use it around me again."

It is making me sick and he can't stand it. Well, we have a verdict. There goes $11. 

Perhaps it was a bad batch or I bought the wrong product. I confirm the correct color of the bottle with my girlfriends. I make a trip to Ulta and Wal-mart. I sniff bottles of It's A 10 from their shelves. They smell exactly the same. 

I hold on to the bottle. I am going to try it again. 

This time, I shower first then apply the leave-in conditioner directly into my wet hair. There is no pulling, no pain, and no wrestling. The comb glides through my wet hair. It still smells horrible. Without adding any other products to my hair I go to work. My hair dried frizzy, but extremely soft and manageable. 

 Frizzy hair, don't care.  For your own Chunky Scarf contact Conway & Co.

I tried it again last weekend with a small amount of hair gel, Biolage Gelee. This is the result: 

Better.

Today, I try it again. After spritzing my hair with It's A 10 I put the comb through my hair. Then, I apply my regular amount of hair gel, Biolage Gelee. 

I know Biolage is expensive, but it works and I have used it religiously for the past fifteen years. Plus, it smells clean. 

Unless I'm straightening my hair, I always let it dry naturally. My hair responded fantastically! 

Yep, I wore the same shirt twice in one week, but I have fantastic hair. 

I absolutely love how It's A 10 Miracle Leave In Conditioner responds to my hair. With the product, my hair reacts as it did before it was chemically fried. I would love to score the product a 10  However, simply from the horrible scent, I say, It's A 6. 

Memphis Music: Eric Hughes Band

I had only photographed for Radio-Memphis one month when Mr. Eric Hughes came to the studio to be interviewed in May of 2013. He was standing on the street, in front of the studio, smoking a cigarette. As I approached Mr. Eric, who was speaking with an on-air personality, reaches out his hand, "Miss Averill, it is a pleasure to meet you."

I had not introduced myself. I never even said my name. Yet, he said it correctly. That is huge! 

In that moment, I knew he was different from any musician I had been introduced to before. He was not just networking; he took the time to remember my name. That is genuine. He impressed me.

Through meeting him a dozen times, since May, I have learned Eric is more than genuine. He is a gentleman, grateful, humble, and one helluva talented musician. Eric has proven my intuition correct and at every show he and his band, Walter, Leo, and Brian, exceed all previous expectations. They set and continuously raise the bar for a damn good Blues show.  


In 2013, The Ground Zero Blues Club invited Eric Hughes Band to play every Friday the 13th. Upon Mr. Eric's invitation, on the final Friday 13th of the year Jeff Janovetz, cohost of Booze & Blues on Radio Memphis, and I make the hour and a half drive from Memphis to Clarksdale, MS.  

If you have not had the pleasure of experiencing the Eric Hughes Band you are truly missing out. The guys confidently blend the soothing bass lines of Leo Goff, strong rock rifts of Walter Hughes' guitar, "The Hitman" J. Brian Aylor's kicking jazz drums beats combined with the harmonizing vocals of Eric's soulful voice, harp, and resonator guitar. The culmination results in a tightly fused, incomparable, explosive sound that is known around the world exclusively as Memphis Blues.

The stylings of the Eric Hughes Band will get your legs to stomping and feet to jumping on those Mississippi Hill Country Blues tunes. Before you know it their style changes to an epic Big Band Blues party anthem "Drink Up!" Miss Donna, the ultimate hostess and Eric's wife, will grab your hand, leading you out to wear down the wood on the dance floor with strangers you will soon be calling friends. This band throws a damn good party! 

In the shadows, Mrs. Carolyn T. Hughes cuts a rug to the music of her sons.

Eric Hughes live at the Ground Zero Blues Club.

 

Walter Hughes plays with his pick clasped in between his lips.

The smoke from Eric's cigarette twists to the words he sings.

Leo Goff creates dynamic bass lines to be heard and felt.

Eric singing through the harmonica microphone.

The crowd got up to dance the night away.  A stranger said, "Hey, take my picture, dancing!"

Walter from stage left with Eric and Leo in the background.

The lovely ladies, Ann Rice and Babs Sater, pause from dancing.

The Hitman keeping it tight behind the drums.

Walter Hughes catching the sweet spot.

A view of Eric Hughes Band from the sound booth in the world renown Ground Zero Blues Club.

This year, Ground Zero Blues Club has invited The Eric Hughes Band to play every other month. They will playing Ground Zero again on April 19, 2014. Or, check them out prior to this weekend by visiting their website.  

Throw Back Thursday: December 19, 2013

December 20, 1986

Lawrence, KS

MarineBrother's First Christmas

Secret Santa

Today I participated in a Secret Santa gift exchange with 'The Cool Side' of the office at the day job. 

My friend and coworker knows me so well! It's a giraffe scarf!!! GIRAFFES!!!! 

Thank you Emily!!! 

Boyfriends are Like...

For those people not from Memphis, Bargain Hunt is a discount store that has dates on the price tag. The older the price tag the bigger the discount. If you see an item you want, you better pick it up right then and there or it'll be gone. 

This evening Pan, Phae and I are in the kitchen chatting about dating and boyfriends. 

Random dating advice from Phaedra, "Boyfriends are like Bargain Hunt. If you find a good deal, you GET that good deal!!" 

Somehow, I feel vindicated. She has been listening to all of my lectures and teachings about discount shopping and dating nice guys. 

She has taken her lessons and manifested and condensed them into a holy grail. 

The spirit is strong in this one. She has made me so proud! 

Look What the Cat Drug In

As a 'professional' babysitter, while I was in college the first time, I would screech up The Mountain, inevitably late to their home over looking Huntington. The man of the house would usually be standing on the back patio or waiting inside of the kitchen with the door wide open, "Look what the cat drug in this morning." 

It was obvious, I stayed out too late the night before.

Every morning I was late. I would throw open the door to my speeding silver bullet. As I run up the hill from the driveway inside the house I knew I was about to get a lecture. 

From the darkness he would call out a warning, "Catting around will get you in trouble." 

Apparently, even after fifteen years my lesson has not been learned. 

Every Sunday night I stay up too late. Monday morning I drag out of bed thinking, "If I can make it seven and a half hours of work I can go back to bed."

Today is no exception. I literally rolled out of bed, patted my hair back in the pony tail I wore to sleep, and threw on some clothes that may or may not look decent. I washed my face, sort of, with baby wipes and applied black, raccoon rings of war paint around my eyes. With the cigarette smoke, a tell tale sign of a late night from being in the studio, wafting from my hair I am somehow proud of myself and think, "This is a victory."

Even though I look like a Grade C Hooker - yes, I know what a Grade A Hooker looks like, we saw one at the corner of National and Jackson Ave on the way home at 1 am this morning AND I've watched Pretty Woman like a million times, this certifies me as an expert - stumbling around the office attempting to make coffee, the Veterans Affair's student worker is throwing game. This young boy has got me giggling like I ain't got not one damn lick if sense! 

"Good morning B. How was your weekend?"

"It couldn't have been good, I spent it without you. The question is, 'How did I survive the weekend without you?' It was miserable."

I was stunned, not expecting this from him. Does he see the sleep still in the corner of my eye? 

Because he is not serious he had me laughing so hard! 

Perhaps I should finally learn the lesson from so long ago. That lesson is that I clearly need to stop looking so damn good; perhaps a shower and less war paint tomorrow.