MILLI VANILLI!

Sometimes you don't get what you want.  But other times you do, so I guess it all evens out. I wanted desperately to be able to sing the whole concert tonight.  As it was, I sang maybe 20% of the notes.  The rest of the time I was doing an amazing job of lip synching.  I could have put Milli Vanilli to shame.  However, this put a definite damper on my enthusiasm level.  Especially for the three hour rehearsal.


Three hours on bleacher seats is hard at best.  To sit there and not be able to produce notes makes it easier to pay attention to the hardness of the benches.  In fact, at the end of the rehearsal I was whipped.  Not real enthusiastic about going back in after dinner to fake the concert.


But during dinner I had a nice conversation with one of the men in the choir who is always fun to talk to.  And then I had a cup of coffee to snap me out of it.   A supportive email helped a lot.  And so I changed into the blue dress, lined up and boldly marched in.   And the concert was fabulous.  So much incredible talent in this concert.   I would literally beam every single person I know to this concert if I was able to do so.   Most of them would resent the intrusion.  But afterwards they would thank me profusely.  There's just no way to describe how exciting it is.


This was Norman's last MLK concert.  This is a year of "lasts" for him.  And probably I'm sharing them as my "lasts" as well.  Which means they are all very bittersweet.


Anyway, I totally rocked out on the final gospel piece and the audience this year was totally into all the singing.  So the gospel pieces went on and on and just got better and better.  What amazing energy.  After such a grueling day.  


Then to be in that concert hall as everyone in the 200 voice combined choirs and everyone in the sold out audience sang "If I Can Help Somebody",  Dr. King's favorite hymn. . . well it was  goose bump Disneyland for sure.    


So I'm back "home" in the hotel (I'm going to be so glad when I don't have to put quotes around the word "home.")  Freezing rain predicted for overnight again. But it's supposed to be in the 50's tomorrow so I hope I can get out of here all right.


I'll leave you with these words and wish that you could have joined in:


If I can help somebody as I pass along,
If I can cheer somebody with a word or song,
If I can show somebody that he's travelin' wrong,
Then my living shall not be in vain. 


Then my living shall not be in vain,
Then my living shall not be in vain,
If I can help somebody as I pass along,
Then my living shall not be in vain.


Dr. King would have loved this event!