Stage fright and spotlights

Carmen dragged me to Murphy’s tonight and before I could chicken out, she had signed us up for karaoke. My hands were literally shaking when they called our names.

Stage fright and spotlights

This is me having what can only be described as an out-of-body experience while Carmen belts out “Since U Been Gone” like she was born for this moment.

I’ve always been the person who says “maybe next time” when someone suggests karaoke. Too embarrassing, too public, too many ways to mess up. But something about the way Carmen looked at me when she asked made me just nod before my brain could interfere. Next thing I knew, I was on that tiny stage holding a microphone and trying not to trip over the cord.

We absolutely butchered Kelly Clarkson, but the three people clapping at the end seemed genuinely entertained by our disaster.

Victory walk after surviving my karaoke debut

Walking back to our table felt like some kind of victory lap, even though my voice is completely shot now. Carmen keeps saying we’re doing this again next week, and the scary part is I might actually say yes.