Amanda Says, "Never Fear"

So, during this contest, I was really not "present" which is what I like to do when I am onstage and competing. (I love to compete!) But I was so thrown off by the song being in the wrong key, that I totally missed the second song. I was even a little worried that I didn't do any of the choreography because I couldn't remember a thing (other than, "oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh, we're too high, we're too high, in the wrong key, oh my gosh") Apparently, my body went on autopilot and I sang the whole song WITH choreo! I saw the DVD Monday to prove it! Actually, I have stood in the same place for eleven years, which is right, smack dab on the end of the risers where no one can see me. When we watched the DVD, I was off the screen and on the wall and I had to stand up and watch the little DVD player instead so I could see myself. But being on the wall was better than the show last year because I was in the shadows the whole time. I wasn't even lit up!

Evidence:
(Yes, that's me, the very last one on the right at the very top, IN THE SHADOWS!)

More evidence:
(More me in the shadows, no wonder I need therapy!)

I even went on facebook and tagged my(shadowloving)self

Amanda Describes the Transformation of a Sweet Adeline

Hi everyone!

I just got back from Covington, KY and my eleventh region 4 Sweet Adeline contest! We placed fourth, yea!

I amused myself by taking pictures to share with you about how one transforms herself into a Sweet Adeline.

Step 1: Plain Amanda

















Step 2: Putting on the spackle (I mean make-up); notice the difference between my face color and my neck color. Yikes!















Step 3: Made up Amanda
















Step 4: (Hair substep 1: this thing is complicated, isn't it?) Curl hair (I've always had a little orphan Annie/ Shirley Temple complex, can you tell?)



























Step 5: Brush out curls, pin and go! (This is my, "let's get ready to rumble/ bring it" face)

























Step 6: Find 70 other people dressed EXACTLY like you (scaring numerous, unsuspecting hotel guests in the process) and wait in the lobby















Steps 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14: Ride on bus; load into freight elevator; warm-up; wait in hall/ go to the bathroom; wait backstage/ apply vaseline to teeth (so they don't stick!); PERFORM! (second song in wrong key, threw me off the whole time. Did I do any of my choreo?); wait for results (when they say 10 minute intermission, they mean 45); have Mary Ellen bestow you with a fourth place medal.

(By the way, somewhere around 13.5, there was this strange pie plate/ Star Wars thing going on which I didn't participate in, but liked watching, but was also a little spooked out like I was in the Twilight Zone)

Step 15: Strip off make-up and outfit and kiss your medal. Another year of competition done!
























Step 16: Free happy hour, dinner and fun with BEST CHORUS EVER!!!