OT: Steping outside your comfort zone

Ladies and Gents,  Last night I went out with some friends and they talked me into singing karaoke. Now, keeping in mind that I am fearlessly speaking every day on the radio to several hundred officers with life/death emergencies....I was terrified!!  But, since I am somewhat an instigator in my circle of friends, I got called out and had to get up and sing.  I wasn't that good...but I wasn't as bad as I thought.  At first I felt like the kid getting picked last for the teams in gym class......then all of a sudden it was like, hey...what's the big deal? At least I tried, right? Soooo, I think I'd like to surprise b/f with a song next weekend...since he wasn't at my "debut" and only knows that I sang a duet with some guy my friends met earlier in the day. (read: jealousy!) Any suggestions for something simple..and not to difficult to sing?  I'm leaning towards something Sinatra...or Michael Buble (since that is my current favorite).....c'mon guys!!! I need your help!  (yeah, romantic and cute is definitely the theme I'm going for  LOL) Anyways, I'm so glad I stepped outside my comfort zone in this adventure..........after WLS I decided to start living my life....I am finished with being a spectator in my own life...time to start living, y'know? Sooooo.....how about some song suggestions?   Or, better yet............how bout posting some of your own adventures in stepping outside your "comfort zone"??????

I know the feeling about speaking on a mic anomoumously (sp?) where people cannot see your face and then holding a mic in your hand infront of a live audience. It is totally different. I probably "spoke" to at least 1000's (people with scanners and those in the squads) in my 14 years behind a police mic. Sorry, cannot help you with the song as I am not much for current music.  I am a folk song person, you know Kingston Trio and Brother's Four, Glen Yaroughboro etc. Chris

I spent most of my professional life as a singer/songwriter on the national stage and I can tell you that I have never met a single performer of any quality, and this includes several grammy winners, who wasn't shaking like a leaf each and every time they walked out on stage!  Most of us felt that it gave us the edge that brought success.  Of course, the rock and rollers tended to use drugs and booze to overcome, but I never felt the desire to go that route (nor should anybody!).  And by the way Chris, one of my dearest friend was Holly Yaroughboro, Glen's daughter.  I did a show with Glen about 12 years ago and he was nervous too!!!  But great just the same.  One secret I will pass on is that it is much easier to do up beat fast songs.  And since you mentioned Sinatra, I would say that "My Kind Of Town" is a great tune in this part of the world!  It is upbeat and realatively easy to learn.  Although I've never been involved in any type of emergency dispatching, I would assume that the quality of your voice performance is not real high on the list of those you are talking to.  Rather, the clarity and concise information that is being transferred.  In singing, most of your audiance is on your side and just wants to have an enjoyable evening.  I'm sure you will be great!!! Paul

Hi Paul, Thanks for the encouragement and suggestion for My Kind of Town....I agree that upbeat is the way to go.  Unfortunately my "debut" song was a duet....and the guy was a pretty good singer.  We sang, Somewhere out there....from the movie An American Tail.....sheesh!!  I mean, I may have a somewhat "younger" sounding voice and all, but I am not able to hit those high notes!  LOL! I have a good speaking voice....but singing is a whole other world for me.  It was great fun, and I plan on doing it again next Saturday....I really am trying to overcome all kinds of fears that have kept me from enjoying life.  I am trying to banish, "I can't" from my vocabulary. By the way, welcom to the board!! And again, thanks for the suggestions. take care, Paula

Hi Chris, It IS completely different............and it was one of the scariest and at the same time most fun things I have experienced..........kinda like a roller coaster!         Sheer terror followed by an adreneline(sp) rush!! 14 years is a whole lotta 10-4's on the radio, yes?  LOL....I just came up on 20 year anniversary of being a dispatcher.....I will say that I was only 19years old when I started on the radio..........back when there was such a thing as police cadets in the suburbs. You are in administration now, right?  Much better hours I am thinking.....I could do without the schedule we are on, but it is the only one that works for me at this time.   As for song ideas.....I'm still up in the air on that idea.........still looking for suggestions. take care, Paula