Middle School Talent Show

Four or five years ago, my daughter decided to participate in the middle school talent show. She and a friend played the piano and did very well. I’m super proud of her for many reasons, but the main one is below.

First, let me tell you what any kind of public speaking/performance seems like to me.

Hell.

hell

This is actually just a bonfire, but I’m guessing it’s like this, only probably, like…bigger and more.

I don’t do any kind of public speaking or anything that resembles it in any way. Believe me, if you saw me trying, you’d be happy if I just sat back down. Why? Because I panic so hard that it’s just painful and uncomfortable for everyone. It’s just a bad scene. A huge NOPE.

microphone

Yeah…I don’t think so.

Therefore, anyone who participates in something like this is already Superman/Wonder Woman in my book. Add to that the fact that these were kids…KIDS…no older than fourteen. Suffice to say, I was impressed before I even entered the building.

But then there was this one girl in particular. She was introduced and came out onto the stage to sing her song. She started with a small, cracking voice and quickly made a mistake. She panicked and left the stage. A moment later, the vice principal came out and said that she was going to come back and try again later and he introduced the next act.

Boy, could I feel for that girl. She was me and I was her. Except that I wouldn’t have gotten up there in the first place. I thought…poor thing, we won’t see her again tonight.

singing with mic on fire

This isn’t her, but it was like this…with the microphone on fire and everything.

But she did come back out a few acts later. She started tentatively again, but then found her groove and nailed her song. I was blown away by the courage it took to come back out on the stage a second time, in front of everyone. And by the applause, I wasn’t the only one who saw it that way. I wanted to go up to her and hug her and tell her how great she did. But I didn’t know her so…you know…creepy.

This is my shout-out to all you public speakers and performers of any sort. God bless you guys. You’re amazing. I’d hug you, but…you know…creepy.

 

 

Is It Trashy?

I had my first experience with someone making a rude comment to me about my book, and it’s not even out yet! But then again, maybe that’s better. The rudeness was general, not specific.

I was at the bank and because I was a new customer, the lady asked me a bunch of questions for her form, including what I do. When I told her that I’m a writer (which does not flow easily off the tongue at this point) and that I’d written a romance, the following exchange happened.

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My New BFF, David Sedaris

* To those of you who already know David Sedaris – you’re going to love him even more. To those of you who don’t – you’re welcome.

My sister and I had the great pleasure of seeing author David Sedaris in person last night. One of the stops on his book tour was just outside Chicago and we were there with bells on – his #1 fans!

He did an hour of book signing prior to the show, as well as afterward. As his #1 fans, it was appropriate that we be at the early signing. When the doors opened and everyone clamored to secure a spot in line, we ended up somewhere around 20th, maybe 25th. I didn’t count. While we waited, we struck up a conversation with the couple behind us. The guy, as it turned out, was David Sedaris’s #1 fan. After talking with him for a few minutes we decided that he did, in fact, deserve the title slightly more than we did and we became David’s #2 fans.

After a while, I checked my watch, concerned that the line hadn’t moved much. I leaned to the side to see what the holdup was. It was, of course, people. People who were talking to David for too long.

“They need to get a wrangler,” I said to my sister, “so they can tell people to hurry up and get moving.”

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