Auditions

The topic that has been on my mind today is.... AUDITIONS! A terrifying and yet exhilarating experience similar to standing in front of a crowd in your underwear. Seriously though, I feel extremely exposed and vulnerable every time I audition, and yet a huge sense of accomplishment at the same time.

My experience auditioning for BYU's show last week was a positive one! I prepared like crazy, not to mention I have a super deduper strict coach.....cough...Michael. Needless to say, the scripture held true-- because I was prepared I did not need to fear.  This is not to say that I wasn't afraid, I was quite terrified actually, but I felt that I had done all I could to be a competitive candidate against the other 130ish folks auditioning. After my audition Mike and I went out to dinner to celebrate/unwind (auditions can get your adrenaline pumping). The director informed all auditioning that if we received a call back, we would be notified by email later that night.  Mike and I decided that for my own peace of mind and sanity, we would check at 9pm after a fun night.  Okay, so we cheated and checked after dinner...BUT I did not get an email. We went home, got in our PJ's, climbed in bed and watched Netflix (while still checking my email every 30 min). Still nothing. At midnight we decided I was not getting a call-back and went to sleep. At 4 in the morning I got up to get a drink and decided to check my email one last time....BAM! AN EMAIL. I was so thrilled I jumped on Mike to tell him the good news. There were only 3 people called back for each part (NOTE: this is a musical with literally no ensemble so every part is a lead). I got called back for a character part that speaks Italian--right? weird. But hey I was just happy as punch to be called back.

Moral of the story: I went to callbacks, did my best, and now we wait. I haven't heard back yet, but I sort of think I did not get the part. I am pretty okay with that, however, and just feel invigorated that I went for it. I TRIED. So what if I don't get the part, I auditioned and did my best. The thrill of auditioning has prompted me to audition for something again next week and the week after next. Crazy? probably. Smart? probably! It is always smart to go for your dreams even if there is a very good chance you will never make it.

This is Michael on his mission. We joke that I made the first move by liking this picture on FB

You can probably guess who has taught me this lesson..Mike. He tells me that all great people risk. We can string and restring our violin...but at some point we need to pick it up and play. We love the show "We Bought A Zoo" where it states that it only takes 20 seconds of bravery, and who knows maybe something great will come of it. It did for us! Any time I feel like not going for something because it scares me or I feel uncomfortable, Mike quotes his favorite saying by his favorite president, Theodore Roosevelt.  It has given me courage to follow my dreams and stare fear in the face.  Here it is... Happy Wednesday.

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man (or woman in my case) who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."

Hey... go for your dreams. If you fail... so what? You will do so while daring greatly and your place will never be with those cold and timid souls who neither knew victory nor defeat.