jaimes

I’m still recovering from a very busy weekend and a very recent meltdown of my daughter outside of Saree World. We decided to take a look at the saree selection in this shop in Decatur. The dresses were beautiful, and she had her heart set on this one for $60. I just could not buy it. I mean as a birthday gift, yes, but as an it’s Tuesday I think I’ll drop $60 on a fancy dress she’ll wear maybe once for a dress-up party, NO.

After the meltdown (hers and mine), I sent miss Devon to her room and drank a beer. Then I oprahfied myself in a photo for my bff who was having a crappy day and put it on her facebook wall. Then I finally got around to importing some photos from the East Atlanta Strut last weekend to share with you guys. (more…)

Yesterday was day one Girls’ Rock Camp, and we’re off to a great start. The band I’m coaching is called Lemon Lime Light, which I think is a super creative name. They’ve already written a first verse and all of the lyrics to their original song. Not bad for a few hours work.

In honor of Rock Camp, I’ll be posting about girl musicians all week. First up is Orianthi, an amazing guitarist out of Australia. She writes her own stuff, and she’s got mad skills on guitar. She’s played with Steve Vai, Carrie Underwood, and Carlos Santana, and she was scheduled to tour with Michael Jackson. Not bad for a 24 year old.

Here’s Orianthi playing with Steve Vai. This video makes me want to turn a fan on while I practice.

p.s. Special thanks to my good friend Mel2 for pointing this virtuoso out to me!

“You want me to tune that for you?”
“She doesn’t write anything. He just tells her what to play.”
“Well, it wouldn’t hurt to have a cute girl on stage.”
“So, do you play acoustic?”

These are a few of the phrases I heard from boys as a girl guitarist. I do not miss those days. I really could have used a mentor back then, or even a whole congregation of female musicians routing me on. But, I couldn’t even find a female guitar instructor. I went to an old man who made me learn stuff like, “Gemini Polka.” I’m not kidding. I still have his instruction book. He was actually really great, but he couldn’t offer me the mentorship I needed as a girl standing on the sidelines of a mosh pit. I really could have used a Rock Camp for Girls. (more…)