Head Trauma and Shotguns.

Last show in Greenville, one of our crew members met a "cosmetologist" on the day off, and invited her to come to the load in to cut hair for tips. Now, how can you beat that? A haircut for what ever you want to pay! I'm in. I had to wait my turn, many of us cheapskates out here took advantage of the situation.

But something was not right. Each person who got their haircut, had to make a return trip get a "touch up". I got the call on the radio that it was my turn, but when I showed up, I still had to wait behind two people getting "touch ups". And it was easy haircuts she had to fix too. Not like a "style", no, these two fellows just had their haircut to an even length all around. A trim, if you will. That's all I wanted too. I was a little concerned but figured, everyone else will go back for a touch up, so can I.

I plopped down in the chair, and said, "Just take a number 4 and trim it evenly all the way around". She mumbled something and blended it with a thick southern accent, so I said, "Yes, number 4 all the way around." And that's what she did, she took a number 4 trimmer and cut all the way around... The back and sides of my head. The top, however, she decided to style. she didn't cut it as short, but that's okay, I've had this type of haircut before, a little longer on the top, no big deal. 10 minutes later, she threw off the cape, said, "all done," and I handed her 10 bucks. I ran my hand through my hair and it felt fine. Short like a like it.

Then, I found a mirror. It was bad. She had missed places, the cut was not complementary to the shape of my head. I'm no hair expert, but when the hair sticks straight out right at the crown of my head, that's a bad cut. So I went back to find her.

Gone. She had disappeared. I asked the roadie who invited her of her location. He said she took off to get ready for tonights show.

That'll learn me to get a free haircut.

But the adventure doesn't stop there. Yesterday morning, I went out in search of a place to fix the great wrong on my head. There's not much in downtown Columbia, SC. But I did find a barber shop. I figured, I could just stop in there and get a number 4 all the way around.

This was a barber shop. When I say barber shop, think the movie "Barber Shop" starring Ice Cube. I won't go into anymore detail then that. I plopped down in the chair and said, ""Just take a number 4 and trim it evenly all the way around." And the barber said in a thick southern accent, "You just want a trim? Get your summer hair cut on?" I said, "Sure."

And the next thing I know, they guy has taken a razor to my head.

I'm not bald, but my hair is really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, short.

One bad haircut fixed by another, less bad haircut. But not much I can do. I have to wear a hat to keep my head warm, and I'm worried I will get a sunburn on my scalp down in Florida on Monday. I showed my head to Nicole via video chat, and she screamed a bone chilling scream. OK, she didn't scream but she was less impressed with my haircut than I am.

There are bonuses though. My showers are faster, and I'm saving shampoo and conditioner. It will grow back, and hopefully by the time I'm back in L.A. for Easter, I'll have a haircut resembling a "number 4, trimmed evenly all the way around".

...

We also went Sporting Clays yesterday. I found a place called Hermitage Farms Shooting Sports about 30 miles outside of Columbia. Our guest shooter this time was the Tour Manager, Jenn. She says she's shot skeet before, but never sporting clays.

It was a very nice course with presentations out over ponds. And also down into a gully. There were rabbits and other fun targets to shoot at. There was even a great over head shot. Here's Jenn lining it up.

But wait, is that a power line we're shooting at? Yep. There was a power line right in front of station 10. One clay came from behind it and one came from the front. If you shot straight at the power pole, you had a good chance of hitting them. All in all another very fun and challenging course.

I had a good day, shooting 59 out of 105. Normally you only shoot 100, but there were a few stations without "menus" (a list of how many shots and how they are presented), so we guess as to how many to shoot there and came up shooting 4 extra shots. I had one extra shell, so I shot that to make 105.

Everyone else did not have a good day. Well, Mel shot normal for Mel, 14 out of 104, but Maddi had a bad day only hitting 11. Surprisingly Jenn, shot 20. Impressive young Skywalker.



And here's a video of Jenn shooting. Ever wonder if there is any kickback to an over/under shot gun? Watch her ponytail and you tell me.