Sick Karaoke

After three days sick in bed, the night of the karaoke contest arrived.  My voice was not at its best.  The evil cold/flu monster had stolen my full range, so I called last minute and changed my song from Dixie Chicks to Etta James.  At least I could try and take advantage of the jazzy scratch in my throat, right?

I really wasn't up to doing this, but $300 was at stake for the winner!!  That's enough to fly to Hawaii!  That's enough to buy groceries for a month!  That's enough to get divorced!  

My adopted family came to support me (the amazing couch surfing hosts with whom I've been staying for a month), which was really the most fun part for me.  We all had a blast together.

My California parents

The rest of the fam. (Sorry for crappy lighting.)

I downed a hot lemon tea with a shot of whiskey before I got on stage.  I hadn't practiced at all - not that day, not that week.  I knew I probably only had one run of the song in me before my voice gave out altogether, and I wanted to save it for the only time it mattered.  But I had sung this song plenty of times before.  I'd be fine, right??

Well - there's really no way to say this humbly.  I killed it.  I owned that song like it was my frickin-frackin job.  You betta' believe I made it to the finals on February 9th.

I should totally get bonus points for standing up for that long at a time while my brain was pounding against the inside of my skull and I was about to break out into a coughing fit with every inhale.  They don't teach you that kind of stage presence in acting school.

Don't worry - I paid for it the next day.  I'm back in bed and even worse off than before.  TOTALLY WORTH IT.