I bought a sunscreen sampler from Sephora a few weeks ago and I'm bound and determined to try everything in there. I didn't do a lot of research before I made the purchase so I was pleasantly surprised to discover it wasn't just straight up sunscreen but instead included foundation primers, lip balm, etc.
I decided to try the Brite Prep Fx first. It is a foundation primer, so I was able to use it instead of my Bare Escentuals Prime Time primer. Since it was SPF 50, I used it alone (under my SPF 15 makeup).
It worked like a charm. It went on easily, like the BE primer (the only other kind I've used). It evened out my skin's texture and tone. Make-up went on easily over it and it seemed to be very effective in the sun. I wore it for an outdoor concert which involved hours in the sun. I didn't notice any color at all.
When I set out on my mission to review sunscreens, I didn't want to know the retail prices, but I peaked and saw the price for this was $45. I think that's totally worth it, given that it is an effective sunscreen and makeup primer all in one.
Monday, June 28, 2010
An incredible experience: DMB in concert
I attended my first Dave Matthews Band concert on Tuesday, June 22nd and it was the best time I've had in as long as I can remember.
First some background... Between about 1995 and 2008, I thought the band's radio hits were boring and dull. Starbucks offered up a free live single performed by Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds (sans the rest of the band) called "Grace is Gone" at the end of 2008 and it made me realize perhaps there was more to Dave and his band than the radio hits. A friend suggested soon after that I give Dave another try and hooked me up with a copious number of live performances - okay, let's just say every live performance released through April 2009 - to check out. The next thing you know, I was drinking the proverbial Koolaid by the pitcher. I did become a fan and even joined the Warehouse fan club. I got tickets way back in February when they were only available to fan club members for the Huntington Park show in downtown Columbus, the first ever concert at that venue. I made plans to attend with some friends from work and we also scheduled in an early departure from work and early arrival downtown into the agenda. (As an aside about where Jeff was in all of this, this sums it up in a nutshell... During the most recent Grammy's when DMB performed Jeff queried, "I wonder if DMB performed a song I loved if I would still love it or if I would hate it, since I really dislike nearly all of their music.")
As early as the Thursday before the concert, the giddiness started to set in. It reminded me of when I was a kid and I knew we were going to Kennywood and every day, I would get more and more excited about our upcoming day at the amusement park. (At least I didn't get as excited as my younger brother who would get so excited he puked, but that's another story for another day.) I was dreaming about possible setlists over the weekend. By Tuesday, I was so enthused I knew it was best to keep my mouth shut so as not to irritate the crap out of unsuspecting coworkers.
On Tuesday, I departed work at 1:00 p.m. and even though it was 85 degrees outside, I decided to go for a 2-mile run when I got home. In spite of the heat, I was still bubbling over with excitement afterwards. I showered and got dressed, made sure I had my ticket and headed downtown to meet Kelly, Jaime, Jeremy and Jaime's friends at R Bar. Kelly and I walked over to the ballpark around 6:00 p.m., I bought a tour shirt (which I have never done before) and then Kelly and I met up with my friend Jon (the one who told me to give Dave another chance) and his brother Bryan down on the field. Jaime and the rest of the entourage arrived a bit later, after the opening act, Robert Earl Keen, took the stage.
To say the rest was a blur isn't accurate, but even nearly a week after the show, I find it difficult to find the words to express how INCREDIBLE and WONDERFUL the show was. It wasn't just the music, it wasn't just the crowd - it was a strange symbiosis I haven't encountered at a concert before... and I've been to many good concerts. I was completely engaged in the music for two and a half hours and it was a refreshing type of joy I don't think I've experienced since high school. I didn't care about anything except being there and having that experience. Even though I knew it was finite, I didn't worry about it ending or how many songs were left until it was over. I wish I knew how to turn that on and off. I'm thinking the couple of beers I had and the dehydration from the run, the heat and the thousands of people at the concert and the *ahem* special flavor of second hand smoke might have had some impact on my experience, but I think that combination only served to enhance the WOW effect, not produce it.
Looking back, one of the things that was most refreshing was experiencing the pre-event giddiness and then having my anticipation match up with my experience. I feel like I sometimes temper my excitement on purpose as a way to attempt to protect myself from disappointment. I'm not sure how to turn that on or off either.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)