Hi guys,

Well I did it! I got up in front of my first open mic.

Last Friday we popped in to the Ugly Mug in Renton to see if they were actually doing one that night. The online calendars said every week, but the outside sign says "every last Friday."

Willie, the owner, is a GREAT guy and was fun to meet. He said at one point if he could take the outside sign down, he would, but he can't.

FYI, it IS every Friday, starting loosely at 9 pm and running till "whenever." We went till about 11.

I'd brought a little cheat sheet, just in case. I wasn't sure if I'd get up though. About 9:15 or so a few other people filtered in--until then it was just me, my hubby, and Willie shooting the breeze for a half hour or so. Then everybody bought their drinks and snacks and we got going.

So--I went up about 4th. There wasn't a sign-up sheet, since there were so few people (about 10 of us). Everyone got 2 turns if you wanted them, 2-3 songs each.

I was scared to death but I did it!

Willie encourages any type of entertainment at the mic--you want to do stand-up, go for it. Poetry, original songs, covers, whatever. He's planning to get an upright piano soon. There was a college kid, Josh, who read his poetry, and a few other regulars who knew each other. One group was visitng from Moscow, Idaho. Overall it was fun music and a very encouraging group of people.

I completely botched my last song--I tried to do a cover. I did fine on my originals. Wouldn't you know it, the cover was the only one I actually *practiced*?

It was the last song of the night, and I wasn't too happy with myself for letting it end on a sour note. The audience was encouraging, but I finally just said, forget it! It's not coming. BUT I was so jazzed about actually getting up and doing it, that I haven't fretted over it too much.

I woke up Saturday morning at 4:30 am with ideas for other sets. My energy was just pumped! Let me also add I am NOT a morning person--I NEVER wake up *thinking*. My body might be movin', but don't ask me a question before 10 AM!!

So that was a weird, unexpected side effect. The energy lasted all day and into Sunday.

I'll have to be careful, this could be addictive.

Bwahahahaha!! Somebody try and stop me!

Great to have an audience that doesn't boo and yank you off the stage if you're bad. --Not that I am--I don't know--anyway, I had a blast. I'll go there again. I felt welcome and comfortable.

I'm looking up other open mics too. Do any of you have favorites??

I'll try to post ahead of time when I go again. Friday was more impromptu, something to hunt down and do after dinner, than planned.

And look at me, I'm still shy about saying I went and did it--it's Tuesday already!


Linda



------------------
====================
Linda Adams
http://www.alyssastory.com

Linda -- I've thought about going to the Ugly Mug but the address I have kept coming up with errors on MapQuest and I wasn't willing to try and locate it by the 'drive around hoping' method. Do you have the correct address and/or directions?



Check out www.openmikes.org. There are tons of open mikes in the area. Just make sure to call first as sometimes things change and nobody bothers to notify openmikes.org.



------------------
Howlin' Hobbit
Got Uke?
Howlin' Hobbit's home site
Howlin' Hobbit on MySpace

Yeah--I can tell you how *I* get there!
I don't know the address, but from my direction (S of Seattle) it wasn't hard to find.

We actually drove past it on the way to the Blue Angels, and my daughter pointed it out. I looked it up online later.

So! Tell me if this makes sense:

Go N on 167 until it ends. (from N/Seattle, take 405 to 167, I guess? but don't hop on South?) Stay on what WAS 167 and keep going straight. The name changes, but I don't know what it is now.

This road winds around into Renton, and you'll pass some shopping and a big Fred Meyer--keep going. It goes into some trees/residential for a bit, then opens back up into an older little strip mall on your left. The Ugly Mug is on the left at the end of that strip. Parking around back.

It has a big yellow and brown sign hanging out front with (guess) an ugly mug on it.

So long as you go N on 167 and keep going straight, you won't miss it.

Know what you mean on the "driving around using the Force" method. Sometimes works... and sometimes it's just not with you. LOL

Linda



------------------
====================
Linda Adams
http://www.alyssastory.com

the address is seattle even tho its next to the renton airport

11425 Rainier Ave S Seattle, WA 98178