Sweetly Southern Hospitality : January 2014

Hey everyone. Happy 2014! I hope you have had a great beginning of the new year and have been successful in those pesky resolutions thus far. My life right now is sort of in limbo as I look for the right "big girl" job after college. So, what have I been up to? Not anything exciting enough to share yet but one thing I have enjoyed is getting to relax and spend time with family. So, the other night while flipping through the channels we stopped on one of our old favorite shows, American Idol. I haven't seen the show in a few years but with the new judging panel I thought I would give it one more shot.

My first passion in life was singing. From the time I could talk I was humming and matching pitch. Growing up in a house where both of my parents sang and loved music, I developed a true love of singing and performing. So, when American Idol first came on when I was 12 years old, I was absolutely set on the goal that as soon as I was 16 I was going to tryout and become the next American Idol. (******Spoiler alert*******): I didn't win. Sorry to ruin that for ya'll. Back to the story...so in the summer of 2007, I was 16 years old and headed to Dallas with my friend Erin and my mom to try out for the biggest talent competition in America. When we first got to the old Texas Stadium the day before to register we stood in line for 5 hours just to get a wristband telling us we could go inside the next day. We were told that if we got it wet that it would be void and I would not be eligible to try out. Needless to say, we went to extreme measures to stay on top of hygiene and not get that wristband wet including wrapping my wrist in plastic wrap and securing it with rubber bands so tight I thought my circulation was going to get cut off. Luckily my arm and my wristband survived. On the audition day we woke up at 2 a.m. got ready and headed back to Texas stadium. We had been told to be there between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m. and they would open the doors and let everyone in. When we arrived at 3:45 in the morning we were greeted with a line that stretched nearly halfway around the stadium and was about 30 people deep. The total count of people auditioning that day was 26,000. I saw and heard some of the best and worst things of my life as well as some of the most trashy dressing people ever. I literally almost reached over and buttoned up a girl's shirt next to me. At 8 a.m. they finally opened up the stadium and we went in for another 5 hour wait. It was the middle of August and the old Texas stadium was open on the top so needless to say it was a miserably hot day. When my turn finally came I went in a group of 4 to the 50 yard line and sang my heart out for 30 seconds to 2 producers. My song of choice was O Happy Day from Sister Act. One by one we went and then they looked us over and decided we weren't what American Idol thought would make good tv. I literally heard some of the best singers of my life on that field not make it. With that, they cut our wristband and pointed us out the tunnel. So, with my head held high I walked out of the stadium the way they showed me only to be out in the parking lot again. I was literally kicked to the curb.

All in all, it was such a cool experience to be able to remember. It taught me that there are plenty of great singers that never get a break because they aren't in the right place at the right time. I also learned that rejection is not always a bad thing. Rejection can be an experience to grow and fit somewhere else even better. I still sing, but my dreams have changed as I have gotten older. Now you can find me jamming out in the car or on most Sunday mornings at Community Bible Church in Van Buren. I did really enjoy American Idol this week. It's great to watch now and be able to relate to those trying out.