16 Going on 17

So, my dad insisted that I blog about this. Partly because I was so excited, and partly because apparently I was freaking out so badly, he couldn't really understand all of it. And I must say, if you're not a member of my family or a theater person, this may not make quite as much sense to you. In fact, I'm pretty sure that I'm going to be sorry that I posted it someday, because it's going to be embarrassing if (when) it gets back to the subject of the post, and as my friend Jared Bodine said, "So that's why they call it the WORLD WIDE web."


A few weeks ago I was chatting with one of the girls in my ward who is a singer by profession. I'm sure it was somebody else who told me actually, but one way or the other it came out that her voice teacher is Rolf, from The Sound of Music. The Sound of Music is my mother's favorite movie of all time. I've calculated that I had watched it (at least the happy half) approximately 216 times by the time I hit 18. This movie shaped my life. It shaped what I think about love and relationships and music. So I more or less flipped out and asked if he was taking on new students and she said she'd see. Lo and behold, yes, he was taking on new students and she gave me his number.


I couldn't call at first. I just couldn't do it. I knew that the second I walked into his office I'd freeze and be completely unable to speak let alone sing. Finally today I decided to stop dragging my feet and call, because I REALLY want to train again, especially with him.


I prayed the whole time the phone rang that I'd get an answering machine. Then the answering machine did pick up and I...there was nothing but babbling. Babbling! Like my mouth went sightseeing as a sugar crazed 2 year old while my brain tried to get to its destination. I think by now they've guessed that I'm either a) a fan or b) have motor skill problems. Anyway, by the time that was done I was just so nervous and jumpy I kept trying to calm myself down. After all, I'd already done it. Of course then I realized that this meant that he was going to call me back. After all, I'd asked him to.


Panic is forced down.


I kept saying to myself "You must think of him as Dan, not Rolf. Dan, not Rolf. Dan, not Rolf! Or you will be really embarrassing." I decided the best thing to do was to keep my mind off of it and watch a movie. Problem is, when I'm really agitated, the movie I watch is The Sound of Music. Even then, I could've told you that that would've made it much worse.


Eventually I moved on and focused elsewhere. It was naturally then, in the middle of debugging some nasty virus on my computer that he called. For starters, he doesn't sound like he does in the movie. But we had a nice little chat. Okay, I think I talked, but I can't be 100% sure how much I said or how much it made sense. I kept trying to remember "Whatever else you do breathe!" And now I only have 2-3 days to repeat "Dan not Rolf!" until it's FOR REAL. 

Other than my being totally and utterly starstruck, I really do want to improve my singing. I miss it so much. And this should be a great opportunity to do that.

Well, I've got to go now...and show the plan to someone else.

Kidding. Love you all.