Everyone has their 15 minutes of fame...

Although some people get more than they should.

No, I'm not going to talk about Paris Hilton, but Karaoke!!

I was never a good public speaker, I was one of those who would rather die than have to give an oral book report in Yr9 english. My hands would go sweaty, and all of a sudden my speech would come out like I was calling the melbourne cup... NOT good at all, and usually a C-minus average!

One thing I could do was music. I could get up and perform a solo or whatever was called for... I was stil nervous as all hell, but I was protected by my instrument, whether it be flute, xylophone or timpani. Yes, I did go to band camp, but no we never did any of that american pie stuff! "This one time, at band camp..."

More recently I have started going out with 'the girls', and we do karaoke.

And I hate to admit it, but I'm hooked.

Many people say they become a totally different person on stage (yes the one we go to has the stage and bright lights and everything) and are actually quite shy otherwise. NOT ME... I'm shaking, my heart's about to jump out of my chest and I hit a point in the song where I can't for the life of me remember how the tune goes... and the audience pipes up and sings it for me.

THAT is why I love this Karaoke thing. There it doesn't matter how tone deaf you are... people forgive you and sing along anyway. I don't THINK I'm tone deaf, otherwise all that classical music training from the age of seven fell on deaf ears (excuse the pun!).

Take Elvis for example...

There's this old guy, sideburns, brylcreemed quiff, polyster shirt with the wide collar, and all the dance moves... I love-ah my baby... now everyone gets up and dances along with him. We ignore the fact that he has no idea of the tune, or the fact that he's screaming through all the songs.

Last year at the final one before Xmas we had a VERY special guest... he came dressed in the vegas jumpsuit and everything...

"Ladies and Gentlemen... Elvis has left the building!"

There's also the guy who sings the same songs in the same monotone fashion every week... I actually commented that he seemed to be getting better!

So there's this real community feel to the whole place, it doesn't matter how well you can sing, and yes there are those that have amazing voices (damn them all!!) but none of it matters because when you're up on that stage everyone is behind you, and you ALWAYS get a huge round of applause and hooting and hollering.

I discovered something else last night... it's virtualy impossible for two girls to slow dance together. Neither of us knew who was supposed to be leading, who was 'the man', but we just about split our sides laughing.

I slow danced with a couple of the guys... one who was so nervous he couldn't even put his hand on my waist... poor thing. The other was much closer to the mark... 'Sway' anyone???

I must add dancing lessons to my list!!!