Emotion Commotion

I never thought I would ever be excited to see Skokie, IL.

Then again, I never thought I'd put on a powdered wig every day to perform for 5th graders...so Skokie's not looking so bad.

However, when I arrived, I realized that the 24 hour stay was more torture than excitement. Northwestern University (and therefore my BFFLZ) is less than 15 minutes away from Skokie. So naturally, my hotel was 20 minutes on the opposite side of the city. Not to mention I would only arrive to our lovely Best Western...


and let me just say you know my life is in the Twilight Zone when I'm calling my mother to tell her how beautiful a Best Western is...where's daddy's credit card when you need it?!


I would only arrive at our lovely Best Western exhausted after a 12 hour work day thankful that I got to sleep in my own bed for the first time in a week and that they had egg patties for breakfast...what is my life?

My dreams of once again partying with my college bros were crushed. I would pass out by 10pm.

But I woke up the next morning like it was Christmas. Not only were my bros coming to see the show (SHOUTOUTZ to JLangs22, JHar, Bestus and the most adorable little latino boy named Mikey) but THE JLDubs was attending my show.

Dear America: If don't know if you know JLDubs, you are either 1. One of my readers from Turkey (and still not a good excuse) or 2. NO FRIEND OF MINE!

I was relieved they would be attending the second show of the day as the first usually serves as a warm-up...and a warm-up it was. The entire show was saturated in white noise and microphone flubs. I was terrified the issues wouldn't be fixed for the second show, and I was already worried my friends would find my professional acting debut rather illegitimate.

Thankfully, the problems were fixed and the show was flawless.

JK. Of COURSE there would be a problem.

Let me set the scene for you:

The show opens with me ripping down a 12 foot tall banner and screaming into the faces of the audience as the Founding Fathers pour out from behind the set and we "rock out" for a few bars before those flawless vocals start to belt.

So we hear the cue, I scream my lungs out, we rock, we rock some more...then as we raise our angelic voices we hear...

Silence...there was no music...but there were four boys in powdered wigs standing frozen onstage wondering what the hell we were supposed to do next...after a few ad-libbed lines, we were sure we were doomed. I looked away from my friends in their VIP box seats in shame.

and then the music came on...in the middle of the opening number...

Well, so much for exposition...

But we managed to make it through the show and I couldn't wait to peel off my sweat saturated ruffles to meet my peeps at the stage door.

As soon as I walked out the door, I knew I was doomed. It took everything I had not to start sobbing and begging my friends to grab my suitcase and take me home. There are those moments in life when you realize you are grown up and scared and this was one of those moments. But we hugged and kissed and I let them take pictures by the big white van (and Harriet knows her angles).

Look, I'll be honest kids, this blog post isn't really going anywhere and is rather forced. I guess I realize how hard the road life really is. Sitting here and joking about my life is great when there are bloody handprints on the wall and a bottle of jack in the mini fridge, but when you only have 5 minutes to hug your best friends before you rip down a set for the 5000th time (with 6000 more to go)...your heart gets tired. Let's just say you'll want a box of tissues for this episode of the TV series...but at least then I'll be filming with my friends (Bestus we're sharing a dressing room, sorry.)

So there America. I admit it. I'm emotional and vulnerable and I'm not sure I'm strong enough for all of this.

But then I had dinner with this REALLY cute boy and I totally got his digits so I'm like THANK YOU VERIZON for unlimited texting.

Wisconsin has all-you-can-drink for $9,

TJB: Making It