American Idol Audition: Minneapolis, MN

Yes, it's true: I went to Minneapolis last week not to see the Mall of America, but to audition for "American Idol!" I wanted to keep it quiet until it was over, but now that I'm back I can tell you all about it. The format of this entry will be slightly different than my previous ones because, instead of writing it all at once from memory, I kept a journal as I went along. So, some parts will be in present tense and others in past tense, but I thought it was important to capture certain moments as they happened. I'm not just writing this for entertainment purposes, but for educational purposes as well. If anyone out there is planning on auditioning for the show in the future, I figure my detailed account of the whole process could help prepare them, or at least let them know what to expect. I sure wish I could've read something like this before leaving! :) But anyway, without further ado, I present to you all: "The Audition Chronicles: A Saga in 5 Parts."

Part I: On the Plane (9/5/06, 9:10 pm)

Here I am, still thinking this is crazy. Although I'm excited to be visiting Minneapolis for the first time and to finally be chasing my dream, there's a part of me that believes it's all going to be a waste of time. This is quite possibly the biggest and most absurd thing I've ever done with my life--or tried to do. But all the time and money that's gone into planning and preparing for it makes me feel like I'm investing in something so fragile and ridiculous that may never materialize. It's a nerve-wracking, yet exciting, feeling. If nothing else, at least I got a window seat on the plane!

Our flight was delayed due to circumstances not disclosed to us. (My guess is the inclimate weather. There's been some bad storms in the area.) And every second that ticks by only heightens my anticipation. I'm already anxious to see my animals again, and I can't see how I'll ever last through the week thinking about that moment. If only there was something to do there to make the time go by faster! :)

Dad is sitting in the seat right behind me, probably more excited than I am. I wonder if his being here to accompany me may have something to do with his desire to put closure on his own dream that never had a chance to come to fruition. But his reasons for being here don't matter as long as I have someone to support me and my wild little flights of fancy.

I wish the plane would take off already, as I'm tired of looking out the window at the same piece of tarmac. I want to see the city lights from 40,000 feet up in the sky, and I'm wondering if maybe I'll find what I'm looking for up there.

Part II: Post-Pre-Audition (Hotel Room, 9/6/06, 8:30 am)

I was in line for 2 hours. I got there at 6:15 (later than I'd hoped due to the alarm clock's inability to go off). The line was already curled completely around the block and growing longer by the second. I took my place at the end and waited...and waited and waited. I passed time by doing the crossword puzzle from the USA Today I found hanging in a bag outside our door. I also called home to get an update on everyone. Mom said Kirby was acting very despondent, not eating, and had hid under the couch all night. It helps me to think that, in order for our reunion to be that much sweeter, enough time has to pass in order to build up the anticipation.

I met some interesting people in line and saw plenty of new sights. A guy with a cart rolled by offering concessions to everyone in line. Soon after, a young lady walked over and offered passes to a free amusement park ride at the Mall of America. Then another girl began doling out breakfast menus that she said they'd be serving in line--for just $10 per person. Around 7:15 or so Dad joined me with a venti non-fat Caramel Macchiato from the Starbucks located just outside our hotel lobby. I noticed a helicopter hovering above us. I surmised either it's taking pictures of the crowd or it was laden with snipers looking for line-jumpers. :) At one point, a man with a TV camera labeled "Channel 6" came over and got a couple shots of us. I struck up some conversation with people standing near me. One was a girl named Shawna who used to live in Hawaii, another was a guy named Andre who said his aspiration is to be the next William Hung! We all took pictures of each other and exchanced email addresses to we could send them later. Andre had Shawna take a couple pictures of just him and me together because he said he had a "good feeling" about me. (Whatever that means!)

Around 7:30 or so, the line started moving very fast, even though we weren't supposed to begin the pre-registration process until 8:00. It would move up in spurts then become stagnant again for a while. I finally reached the front around 8:15. The entrance to the Target Center was just off to the right of the line's starting point. There was a large TV camera positioned at the front and a sign stating that our presence constitutes our agreement to all terms and conditions herein blah blah blah. There were about a dozen crew members in bright yellow T-shirts with the American Idol logo on them, and a guy with a megaphone shouting reminders at us not to smoke or cut in line.

Once inside the Target Center, we were met with about 20 or so shorter lines leading up to a set of long, folding tables, all with yellow-shirted crew members sitting behind them. All I had to do was walk up to one, present my 2 forms of I.D., get my orange wristband with my contestant number on it (Dad was given a green band for being a chaperone), and our tickets granting us admission on Friday morning. I was also given a list of instructions on what to bring and what not to bring, and told to arrive in line between 5 and 6 that morning. They said everyone would be admitted at once and called out to audition according to our seat number. The whole pre-registration process took 5 minutes at most!

Now I'm back in the hotel room, relaxing and watching my "Lost Season 2" DVD's on my portable DVD player and thinking of taking a nap. I'll need plenty of rest before Friday, but it's all so exciting, I can't see how I'm ever going to sleep. Perhaps a visit to the Mall of America will be just what the doctor ordered!

Part III: Mall of America

After a wonderfully refreshing nap, Dad and I decided to grab lunch at the Mall of America. It was a half-hour train ride to Bloomington, where we were greeted by the ominous sight of stores upon stores anchored by steel structures stretching several stories into the sky. (How's that for alliteration?):) Upon entering from the parking garage, we were met by an information desk off to the right, the entrance to the world's largest underground aquarium directly in front of us, and just beyond that was the amusement park. (Yes, an indoor amusement park. Thrill rides, carnival games, a petting zoo. I'm not kidding!)

We had our selection of lunch venues and finally settled on the Stadium Bar and Grill. Getting to the restaurant was complicated, though, because we had to find an escalator up to the second floor and walk around to the entrance, all the while stopping to check out the infinite number of stores and carts we passed along the way. We ate at a picnic table on the balcony so we could overlook the amusement park activities. During lunch, we studied the map and tried to figure out our plan of action. I wanted to use my free pass on the "Xtreme Trampoline" but it was closed until Friday. I also wanted to see the petting zoo, but it was closed, too! Apparently, the only thing for me to do there was...shop! And shop I did. In the first hour alone, we checked out the Coach store, the jewelery department at Macy's, several young adult clothing stores, and a sporting goods shop. There, we saw a mini football helmet with UT's logo on it. I chided the guys behind the counter about that and asked why they didn't have any BG stuff. They also had candles with NFL team logos on them. I wondered if they had any that were Tom Brady-scented. ;)

I was actually very restrained all day and didn't buy very much. I think the most money we spent was at a cart called "Pet Haven" which sold clothing and accessories for pets. I got matching T-shirts for Kirby and Kisses that say "Spoiled" on them, and some barrettes to go with them. I can't wait to dress them up in them and take them for walks! (Maybe the barrettes will stop people from accusing Kirby of being a boy!) Besides that, I bought a Prince CD from Sam Goody because the American Idol producers told us they'd be fliming us singing "1999" as a group on Friday, so I figured I'd better learn it. We also looked for a pair of Crocs for Mom, but nobody had the color she wants in the size she needs. All that walking was extremely taxing. We were there for probably 4 or 5 hours, then decided we were done and took the tram back to the hotel to recuperate.

People say it takes 2 days to go through the entire mall. I can understand that, but only if you plan on visiting every single store. I spent 5 hours there and feel like I've seen everything I need to see. Would I go back? Sure, but I wouldn't build my whole trip around it.

On the tram on our way back, we found some mild amusement watching a very, very drunk guy stumble around the car mumbling "I forgot to pay" to someone only he could see. That afternoon, I studied the lyrics to "1999" while Dad called home and talked to Mom. She said Kirby still hadn't eaten or gone outside yet, and was spending most of her time hiding under the couch or watching the door for my imminent arrival. She'd spent the lunch hour curled up in Rob's arms like a baby with her nose tucked in his elbow. At least my 2 cats were doing OK. But work is already a disaster. Mom said she's so overwhelmed trying to do both hers and my jobs, and apparently the person subbing for me had attempted to revamp my entire filing system but only got halfway done and now it's a total mess! I'm not looking forward to having to deal with that when I get home. I just hope she didn't move my stapler or there'll be hell to pay!

Because Dad and I had such a late lunch, we weren't hungry again until later that night. At 9:30, we went to the Hard Rock Cafe just down the block. Since the air-conditioning was stiflingly cold inside, we asked for a table outside. Of course, outside means people are smoking all around us. I noticed a lot of them had AI bracelets on their wrists. Honestly, why would you smoke if you're trying to be the next American Idol?? A news truck with a live feed satellite tower was parked outside the Target Center, likely doing a story on the auditions. I'd hoped to get back to the room in time to see it, but since everything in the central time zone runs an hour earlier, that made it impossible. (However, I did catch a story the next morning about a naval officer who'd won the Navy's own version of Idol, and his prize was official orders to come here and audition. I figured he'll probably make it to Hollywood based on that story alone!)

I was plenty tired by the time we got back, so I cashed in my chips early and went to sleep. I was also still reeling in disbelief from the fact that I actually bought a Prince album! With nothing special to do tomorrow until the Dolphins/Steelers game, I planned to sleep in late and do a whole lot of nothing. I need my rest in order to be up and at 'em by 6:00 am on Friday for the first round of auditions.

Part IV: Downtown Downtime (9/7/06, 7:30 pm)

I said I wanted to do nothing today, and that's exactly what I did. I didn't even eat my first meal until suppertime. Dad and I laid in bed watching TV until 1:30. Room service knocked on our door once and we had to send them away until later. By the time I got in the shower, I had a screaming headache, undoubtedly from not having any caffeine yet. It was the kind that made you want to throw up then hide under a bunch of blankets. I ate a couple Exedrin Migraine, then we went downstairs to the Holyland (a.k.a. Starbucks). It was 3:00 then and neither of us were hungry yet, so we sat on the sidewalk sipping our lattes, watching birds eat crumbs off the other tables, and observing the last-minute audition registrations going on across the street.

After our coffee break, I decided to take advantage of the free internet access available in the hotel business center. I checked my email and saw Andre had already sent me the pictures he took yesterday. Meanwhile, Dad looked up possible earlier return flights, just in case. It was only 4:00 then, so we took a short walk downtown to pass time and try to build up an appetite for dinner. We also stopped by the inside of the Target Center to double check some of the rules for tomorrow. For instance, I'd been told by somebody yesterday that we wouldn't be allowed to bring any food or water with us. I was worried I'd have to dunk my head in a toilet to get a drink. But the person behind the counter said water and snacks were, in fact, permitted. Thank the Lord!!

Around 5:15, we decided to go to the Italian restaraunt next to the Starbucks, and they call it "Bellanotte." (Lady & the Tamp reference there!) :) The waiter noticed my wristband and asked if I was auditioning tomorrow. When I said yes, he asked if I was going to win it this year. I replied, "Why else would I be here?" He liked that answer. Before we left, he wished us a good evening and said he hoped to buy my CD soon.

It is now time for kickoff--a much-needed release from all the anticipation. (Go Steelers!!) I'm not nervous or scared about tomorrow. I'm actually pretty excited. I'm guessing the amount of true talent they see during the first round is few and far between (mostly people who are hungry for a 10-second spot on TV, or are merely fulfilling a dare to audition). You'd think a serious singer with actual vocal training would be a breath of fresh air. But, I'm just going to do my best and hopefully knock 'em dead!

Part V: Judgement Day (9/8/06)

In order to ensure I would wake up on time Friday morning, I set my cell phone alarm for 4:03 am. (Yes, I like to set alarms for weird times like that. It's one of my quirks.) It went off OK but I still laid in bed trying to wake up until 4:30. I also took my time getting ready in order to look my best. I had been debating on which of my outfits to wear for the first round, then decided on my cutest (and tightest) one because, in case I don't make it to the next round, I may as well come out firing on all cylinders, right? As I was styling my hair, I thought I still had plenty of time because the clock on the nightstand said 5:48, and I didn't have to be in line until 6:00 at the latest. But, when I put my watch on, I discovered that clock was 10 minutes slow. I only had 2 minutes to finish doing my hair, get my stuff together, and run across the street to the Target Center! Dad and I raced against the clock to do that, but in the end it hardly mattered what time I got there. No one would've noticed if I came late, and the line was even longer than it had been at pre-reg. It ran clear around the back of the Center and up the hill to the end of the block! There were crew people in their signature yellow T-shirts yelling into the crowd, asking if anyone still needed to register, then whisking them away so they could do so.

It was still pretty dark outside so it was hard to get any good pictures. While we stood there waiting, a camera crew came out the back entrance and took some footage of us as we cheered and waved. They even pulled aside a girl standing near me and interviewed her. (I heard her say her name was Mariah and they asked her about being compared to Mariah Carey and how she's going to distinguish herself from her when she's the American Idol.)

Like Wednesday, the line would stand still for a while then move up several hundred feet and then stand still again. When we got to the front, we found out that was because they were letting us inside in large groups. By the time we made it to the front of the line, it was around 7:15. There were crew people on the sidewalk handing out compact mirrors, keychains, and mints with the Fox logo on them. Naturally, I grabbed a pack of mints. When we got admitted inside, we all had to hold up our arms so they could see our wristbands. (I'd been taking extra special care of mine. I even wore a plastic baggy over it in the shower to keep it from getting waterlogged.)

Inside, like on Wednesday, there were several smaller lines leading into the entrance to the seating area. The people guarding the entrances were busy checking tickets and pulling food and water bottles out of peoples' bags. This confused me because they just told me yesterday we would be allowed have that stuff. Once inside, I realized the reason behind the confiscation: the concession stands were open and they were selling their own products at ridiculously jacked-up prices. Mercifully for me, I'd put my water inside my purse, and they neglected to check there, so I was able to sneak my own water in with me. (Once again, being sneaky pays off!) Dad had to forfeit all the pop and candy he'd brought with him, though.

Inside the arena, we had to go up 2 sets of escalators to get to our seats. I could hear people cheering and shouting in the stands already, and music playing "1999." (And I'd finally gotten that song out of my head just that morning!) We were sitting in section 126, row H. They were awesome seats! (Near the floor, just around the curve.) We could see everything perfectly. The camera crew was set up and filming some crowd shots, and a guy with a microphone was shouting some words of encouragement and attempting to teach everyone the chorus to "1999." He demonstrated the 3-part harmony they wanted us to use during the chorus (sopranos, altos, and men) then had us sing through it a few times. He told us to have fun and be as energetic as possible. I was actually surprised how much energy I had at 7:45 in the morning. It was probably just from the excitement. I'm sure if it had been any other morning, I would still be in my usual catatonic state.

In order to make the arena look more full, they had people in the far sections come over to the middle to fill up empty seats. (I don't know for sure how many people were there, but my sources say Target Center seats 20,000 and it looked about half full, so my guess is 10,000.) We sang, danced, and clapped our way through the song several times while a camera on a large crane panned back and forth, up and down, across the stands. We sang through the chorus so many times, it was nauseating! After about a half hour of this, one of the producers said we had a special guest with us today who was "very excited to be here." I figured it was a former finalist, like Paris Bennett, or someone who was now on VH1's "Where Are They Now?" So I was surprised and ecstatic when he announced: "Ladies and gentlemen, here he is--the host of America Idol: Ryan Seacrest!" Everyone erupted in cheers, shouts, and whistles. I tried to snap a few pictures of him, but my camera decided to go on the fritz and my phone just didn't capture the moment quite as well. But I did get a 15-second clip on my video phone!

Ryan took the mic and played to the crowd for a minute or two. Some girl shouted "I love you, Ryan!" and he said back, "Love you, too!" We were told he'd be filming scenes for our upcoming episode in January, and we'd be competing with the other cities to be the season opener. Apparently, they don't air them in order. We were told by the director to stay quiet and refrain from flash photography while Ryan said his lines, then we had to say or do certain things when signaled. (It was impossible to hear Ryan's lines, so we had to rely on the director to signal us.) First off, Ryan did a walking shot towards the camera. When he said, "Is the next American Idol from Minneapolis?" we all stood up and cheered as the camera panned across the stands (this is where the opening credits would play). Then, when he asked, "What do you think of when you hear the words 'Simon' and 'Cowell?'," we were supposed to give a thumbs down sign and boo loudly. I like Simon so I had a hard time with that one! Then, when Ryan did a lead-in to a commercial, we all shouted in unison, "After the break!" followed by applause and cheering.

This whole part took quite a while, as they did at least 3 takes of each segment. We were supposed to begin auditioning at 8:00 am, but 8 o'clock came and went and they still weren't done setting up all the judges' tables. After Ryan was finished filming all the live shots, they gave us a rundown on the audition process. The people sitting in section 116 would be the ones to audition first. Since I was in section 126, I'd be relatively early in the process. They would call us down according to section and have us form lines in front of each of the judges' tables (12 total) and we'd walk up to the table in rows of 4, then each of us would take turns singing for about 30 seconds or until motioned to stop. (He gave specific instructions not to keep singing after being told to stop, as this annoys them.) After all 4 had sang, they would confer briefly and give us the verdict. If you did not get through, you had to walk behind the table, where a guy would cut your wristband off, and you had to leave the building immediately through what they called the "non-winners' exit." If anyone in the group did happen to get through, they would be issued a golden ticket with their contestant number on it and be escorted out the opposite end of the arena through the "winners' exit." There, they'd give you a rundown of what was to come and have you fill out all the paperwork, etc., a process that would take about an hour.

They finally called the first section down around 9:15 or 9:30. Everyone was directed to one of the 12 tables where they formed rows of 4, as instructed, then they took turns singing down the line. It was nearly impossible to hear anyone's audition from up in the stands. Every once in a while, a powerful voice would ring out and you could kind of follow the noise to the person it was coming from. But for the most part, it was garbled, muffled sounds.

Right from the beginning, the vast majority seemed to be exiting through the non-winners' side. For the first hour or so, the 2 tables directly in front of my section (numbers 1 and 2) didn't let a single person slip through to the next round. The girl sitting next to me noticed this, too. I suggested, optimistically, that perhaps all the bad ones just happened to be over there. There were some people I could faintly hear who sounded really good and were entertaining to watch, and I thought for sure they'd make it to the second round. Yet, out they went, through the non-winners' exit. It was quite discouraging.

One of the first ones to break the barrier into the next round was a girl the people around me dubbed the "lady in red" because she was wearing a red, feathery jacket. She reminded me of LaToya London from season 3, and carried with her an easel with a painted sign on it that said "Peel me a grape." Someone from the stands yelled to her, asking what it means, and she said it was a song lyric. Every time somebody made it through--and those people were few and far between--the whole arena would erupt in cheers and applause. Everyone seemed to be rooting for each other. After all, we were all in the same boat.

Around this time, my bladder started to feel pretty full. I thought about running to the nearest restroom, but the guys in the yellow T-shirts were getting closer to my section and I was afraid I'd miss my cue to go down to the floor. Eventually, they made their way over to us and announced they'd be taking the first 5 rows only. By that time, I was at the point where I was sick of waiting and just wanted to get it over with. Part of me wanted to get through to the next level, of course. But the other part of me wanted to go home and see my doggie.

Finally, it was our turn to go down. Dad wished me good luck and said he'd meet me out at the front of the building, since chaperones weren't allowed on the floor with us. Then we formed a long line and walked, row by row, up the stairs and out the back of the arena, where we stood and waited. I had to pee really, really badly by then. I looked across the hall and saw there was a bathroom right there. Could I make it? I wasn't sure I could hold it much longer. I asked the girl behind me if she'd hold my place for a second, then made a mad dash across the hall. The whole room was abuzz with girls fixing their hair and make up and doing warm-ups in the stalls. I ran into the nearest open stall and made it back in record time. The line hadn't moved at all since I left!

We were led a little ways down the hall and back into the arena through another entrance, where there were stairs leading down directly to the floor. At the bottom of the stairs were 2 guys collecting our signed release forms (the ones stating we were allowing them to use our voice or likeness at anytime, etc.). A girl with a loud voice yelled at us to form 2 lines along the back of the court. Then, she grabbed us in groups of four and told us which table to go to. I really hoped she wouldn't send me to tables 1 or 2 since hardly anyone was getting through there. She pointed me to table 12, the very last one, right next to the "winners' exit." I was the second one in my row. A blonde girl with a Coach bag was on my left, a good-looking, dark-haired guy was on my right and a girl with short brown hair was to the right of him. (We all fought not to have to go first.) We listened to the people ahead of us sing their selection. Two rows directly in front of me was a young boy with a very nice voice who reminded me a lot of J.D. Adams from season 2. I was very impressed by what I heard and remarked to the girl next to me that it would be a travesty if he didn't get through. Lo and behold, out he went...through the non-winners' exit! It could've been that what I was hearing was a lot different from what the producers were hearing. But, the chances of actually making it through seemed very, very bleak.

Finally, my row stepped up to the table. The producer judging us was a woman, early-to-mid-thirties, with long, straight, brown hair. She smiled pleasantly at us then signaled for the first girl to begin. She stepped up to the black piece of tape in front of the table and began her song. She was good, but not great. Then it was my turn. (I was so glad I'd gone to the bathroom beforehand!) I dropped my purse on the floor, stepped forward, waited for her to give me the nod, then began the chorus to "You Light up My Life." I sang my heart out, but I felt like all my sound was being swallowed up by the wide open space in front of me. I tried to make up for it by singing louder, but I think that just made it sound forced. I definitely felt I could've done better. At the end of the chorus, she smiled politely then motioned for me to stop, and then went on to the guy next to me. I had a pretty good feeling what the verdict would be already.

After all 4 of us had sang, she asked us all to step forward again, which we did. She said, "Well, there's a lot of good voices in here." (I knew the next words out of her mouth would be preceded by a "but.") "But," she continued, "I just didn't feel that the performances were quite there yet. So, I'm not putting you guys through, sorry."

So, we all walked behind the table, got relieved of our wristbands, and walked out of the arena, down through the long corridor on the other side of the "non-winners' exit." Disappointing? Yes, but in a way, I was kind of relieved because now I could go home and see my animals--and even make it to the football game tomorrow! I found Dad in front of the building. He gave me a shrug like, "What can you do?" then we walked back to the hotel. It wasn't even noon yet!

In retrospect, I was extremely tense during my audition and probably came off a little stiff rather than showing my personality. I'd originally thought it would be pretty easy to make it past the first round because I'd figured they would primarily be weeding out the good talent from the bad. But I quickly found out that was not the case. I learned that, while it is a singing competition, it is first and foremost a reality TV show, and sensationalism will always win out over talent.

Dad and I went back to the room, where I changed into more comfortable clothing (I even wore my A.I. T-shirt, just to prove I'm not bitter!) while Dad called the airlines to see if we could get an earlier flight out. I also called Mom and a few other people to let them know the outcome. Mom seemed disappointed for me but quickly assured me it had no reflection on my voice. Dad was able to move our flight up to 2:15 that afternoon--for just a small fee of $618. We packed all our stuff up, checked out of the hotel, then went down to the Starbucks for our daily caffeine fix. We sat outside and watched the other dejected auditioners walking out of the Target Center. We also talked to a guy who passed by us with a chihuahua named Odie. I showed him pictures of Kirbs and expressed how anxious I was to see her again.

After our coffee break, we took the tram back to the airport and went through all the check-in and security points. Of course Dad had to be wanded because of his titanium kneecaps. Also, I'd accidentally left a water bottle in my carry-on bag, so they had to whisk me aside and search through it for other potential Weapons of Mass Destruction. We still had some time so we and ate lunch at the food court and Dad called Mom to let her know we were on our way home. Around quarter to two, we were heading towards the gate when I realized I'd lost my boarding pass! I searched through my bag, purse, pockets. I even dug through the trash in the restroom, thinking I might've accidentally thrown it away with the paper towel after washing my hands. There was a flight attendant in there who asked if she could help me. I told her I'd lost my boarding pass. She asked if it was an e-ticket. When I said yes, she informed me they could print out another one at the gate as long as I showed them my I.D. Thank God for e-tickets!!

Dad let me have the window seat, even though it was technically his. I spent the whole flight gazing out the window and watching my "Lost" DVD's. We landed at 5, found our luggage right away (which has NEVER happened before!) and went right home to see my girls! Kirby wasn't there, though. She'd been so depressed and mopey all week that Mom decided to take her to Grandma's house to play with Abby while the rest of the grown-ups canned tomatoes. So, before I could go see her, I had to unpack completely while Dad changed and cleaned off the pop he'd spilled on himself. Then, on the way over, he decided to stop by the Marathon station for a lottery ticket. For God's sake, all I wanted was to see my puppy! I would've driven myself over, but Dad's car was parked behind mine.

I finally got to Grandma's house around 7:00. I ran as fast as I could up the lawn and through the door with outstretched arms, ready to catch Kirby in mid-air when she jumped up to see me. It was such a joyous reunion! Even Abby was happy to see me! Kisses was there, too, so I presented her and Kirby with their matching shirts and barrettes. I was so glad to be home!

All in all, it was a fun trip and a good learning experience. If I decide to go back next year, at least I'll know what to expect. At the very least, I know I still have a place in the music world, starting with the Toledo Opera. So it's not like I'm coming home to nothing, or with nothing to show for my efforts. I suppose I still have a lot of northwest Ohio in me. Hollywood or not, when it all comes down to it, I'm still my daddy's girl!