# I had a go at karaoke



## Anachiel (Oct 21, 2007)

Well it wasn't in front of a stage but it was in front of my hubby and another couple who are our friends. We went to their house for dinner and then my hubby kept insisting we do karaoke for the fun of it as they have the gear for it, well I kept thinking to myself (will that hubby of mine shut up and stop mentioning it) but he didn't and our friends took the Karaoke equipment out and they started. My hubby kept looking at me and I could tell he wanted me to go on it cause he wants me to overcome my fear. My friend started first and then she just casually sung with ease then her hubby went and then my hubby and then they gave me the microphone, at first I felt the panic of fear overcome me, my hands were sweating and I held the microphone with both hands so I wouldn't shake, well then I said to myself, "it's only for fun, it's only for fun, do it, have fun, it's just for fun" well I started to sing with my friend and I started off like crap but then I wasn't familiar with that song anyway, then I sung other songs I was familiar with and then I got to a point where I was having so much fun I lost myself in it, we all did in fact, we laughed and joked and my friend and I beat the blokes. I don't think Ive had that much fun in years!!! For me that was a complete triumph as I have a good singing voice, even though I was pretending to sing a bit off key I still attempted it and gave it a go and it was liberating, all our kids found it amusing and they had a laugh too!! 

We didn't take ourselves seriously and we just focused on having fun and for me, that thought of focus worked for me!!!

My next goal is to actually do it on a karaoke stage, hmm I might have to do it with my friend first though as she is a very casual relaxed person and Im very comfortable around her.

:boogie :boogie :boogie :boogie :boogie


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## Phobos (Jun 14, 2006)

You're a brave person inded! :banana I'd rather be burned at the stake than participate actively in karaoke, but I'm happy for you and glad you had fun doing it. Keep getting these positive experiences and your wretched SA will surely sink to the darned bottom


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## IllusionOfHappiness (Sep 6, 2007)

that's frickin awesome!


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## tomcoldaba (Jul 1, 2007)

Awesome! :nw 

Try doing it again. If you try it a few times, your fear will subside. In fact in one post you stated that fear peaks and then fall away. If you try it again, you will be more comfortable.

Just curious, did you feel a high after you were done with karaoke, like a heady feeling of liberation?

Have a Happy New Year


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## millenniumman75 (Feb 4, 2005)

Congratulations, Anachiel!


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## ardrum (May 13, 2007)

Nice job!!!


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## Anachiel (Oct 21, 2007)

tomcoldaba said:


> Just curious, did you feel a high after you were done with karaoke, like a heady feeling of liberation?
> 
> Have a Happy New Year


Yes definately!!!!
It was the best feeling ever! It was something Ive always wanted to do all my life and it finally happened :banana . Yes and I do plan to do it more often now. The most important thing to remember is not to take yourself too seriously and have that thought that you don't have to be perfect and that it is all for fun, you are allowed to have fun and look or sound a little silly. I think the other thing that helped me was the fact that our friends are very easy going, casual relaxed people who are definately far from perfect themselves and they don't care too much how they appear to others and I always seem to get on better with people of that nature, they tend to relax me more. I cannot stand to be around people who are trying to always maintain an image and don't want to look even a little bit like they make the slightest mistake or even look a tiny bit dorky, I mean so what if you look a little like that, is it really the worst thing in the world, NO! I always felt so restricted around people of that nature as I grew up with a lot of family members like that and that's why I do not enjoy that sort of company and I feel too restricted. I mean it's good to let go a bit, Ive been doing that a lot more now and that does help heaps. We have done other crazy things in front of each other as well, like impersinations of different animals, lol!!! Or TV characters, I'm good at doing Marge Simpson's voice!!lol and my hubby does a great impersination of a Thunderbird, watching that is enough to make you laugh till you get stitches. I know that sounds mad but it does bring you out of yourself a bit and allows you to have a laugh at life. There's nothing worse than not having a sense of humour and feeling restricted. :lol :lol


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## tomcoldaba (Jul 1, 2007)

Anachiel said:


> The most important thing to remember is not to take yourself too seriously and have that thought that you don't have to be perfect and that it is all for fun, you are allowed to have fun and look or sound a little silly. I think the other thing that helped me was the fact that our friends are very easy going, casual relaxed people who are definately far from perfect themselves and they don't care too much how they appear to others and I always seem to get on better with people of that nature, they tend to relax me more. I cannot stand to be around people who are trying to always maintain an image and don't want to look even a little bit like they make the slightest mistake or even look a tiny bit dorky, I mean so what if you look a little like that, is it really the worst thing in the world, NO! I always felt so restricted around people of that nature as I grew up with a lot of family members like that and that's why I do not enjoy that sort of company and I feel too restricted. I mean it's good to let go a bit, Ive been doing that a lot more now and that does help heaps. We have done other crazy things in front of each other as well, like impersinations of different animals, lol!!! Or TV characters, I'm good at doing Marge Simpson's voice!!lol and my hubby does a great impersination of a Thunderbird, watching that is enough to make you laugh till you get stitches. I know that sounds mad but it does bring you out of yourself a bit and allows you to have a laugh at life. There's nothing worse than not having a sense of humour and feeling restricted. :lol :lol


Stop the analysis, that is so SA. Just do it. :lol Just joking.

Since I am attending toastmaster meetings 6 times a month, I am talking to strangers. Every speech I have given, my evaluators say that I have good sense of humor. Maybe, in a couple of months, I will try the open mike at a comedy club.


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## Anachiel (Oct 21, 2007)

tomcoldaba said:


> Maybe, in a couple of months, I will try the open mike at a comedy club.


 :eek :eek :eek

Now that is scary Tom! that would have to be the ultimate SA achievement if you tried that!!!
Let us know if you ever actually attempt comedy and how you go with it!


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## PlayerOffGames (Mar 19, 2007)

congrats!!!!!!!!


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## ardrum (May 13, 2007)

tomcoldaba said:


> Anachiel said:
> 
> 
> > The most important thing to remember is not to take yourself too seriously and have that thought that you don't have to be perfect and that it is all for fun, you are allowed to have fun and look or sound a little silly. I think the other thing that helped me was the fact that our friends are very easy going, casual relaxed people who are definately far from perfect themselves and they don't care too much how they appear to others and I always seem to get on better with people of that nature, they tend to relax me more. I cannot stand to be around people who are trying to always maintain an image and don't want to look even a little bit like they make the slightest mistake or even look a tiny bit dorky, I mean so what if you look a little like that, is it really the worst thing in the world, NO! I always felt so restricted around people of that nature as I grew up with a lot of family members like that and that's why I do not enjoy that sort of company and I feel too restricted. I mean it's good to let go a bit, Ive been doing that a lot more now and that does help heaps. We have done other crazy things in front of each other as well, like impersinations of different animals, lol!!! Or TV characters, I'm good at doing Marge Simpson's voice!!lol and my hubby does a great impersination of a Thunderbird, watching that is enough to make you laugh till you get stitches. I know that sounds mad but it does bring you out of yourself a bit and allows you to have a laugh at life. There's nothing worse than not having a sense of humour and feeling restricted. :lol :lol
> ...


That would be awesome. :yes


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## tomcoldaba (Jul 1, 2007)

Anachiel said:


> tomcoldaba said:
> 
> 
> > Maybe, in a couple of months, I will try the open mike at a comedy club.
> ...


I was drunk when I wrote that I will try the open mike at a comedy club. Now I am sober. :lol


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## Anachiel (Oct 21, 2007)

tomcoldaba said:


> I was drunk when I wrote that I will try the open mike at a comedy club. Now I am sober. :lol


LOL, well then may be you should have a few drinks before you go on the open Mike at a Comedy Club, you never know, you may be a hit opcorn :rofl :clap


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## John H (Oct 27, 2005)

Hi Anachiel

What a great story of breaking through!!!!!!

One of my favorite books is *Feel The Fear And Do It Anyways *, your experience is a perfect example of feeling the fear a nd doing it anyways.....

Good for You, Good For You, Good For You!!!!!!!!!!

John H


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## Gerard (Feb 3, 2004)

That's awesome Leena.

Gerard


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## sadguy (Aug 25, 2007)

Good job!!!


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## Anachiel (Oct 21, 2007)

Our friends came over to our house this time and brought over their karaoke machine again, we had so much fun last time we decided to do it again and we did!!!

This time I wasn't as nervous as the first time, it was actually a lot easier. Knowing that Ive done it before and survived it gave me that proof of reassurance and the self esteem to go ahead with it again. We had a blast!! So we went ahead and brought a karaoke machine for ourselves, this one is a lot more scarier because you can really hear yourself loud and clear on those speakers, unlike our friends' one, my hubby and kids and I had a go on it yesterday. I was feeling embarrassed of the neighbours hearing, but then I thought, I wouldn't judge them if I heard them doing karaoke, I'd just think "they are only having fun", so with that thought I left my backyard door open. I think the next step may be to do it again in front of different people or on an actual stage, Im sure that would scare the living pants off me as its not exactly in the comfort of your own lounge room! Well that's a goal Im planning to get to in time after more practise in the lounge room. Hmm Im sure a few drinks may come in handy, Im no drinker but when the need calls for it, well um it may come in handy, lol!

:banana


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## tomcoldaba (Jul 1, 2007)

Good job! Congratulations!

Invite your neighbors over a karaoke session. Try the same song(s) with your neighbors that you did with your friends. If you don't feel nervous with your neighbors then try it on stage. 

:nw


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## Anachiel (Oct 21, 2007)

tomcoldaba said:


> Good job! Congratulations!
> 
> Invite your neighbors over a karaoke session. Try the same song(s) with your neighbors that you did with your friends. If you don't feel nervous with your neighbors then try it on stage.
> 
> :nw


Hmm um, I don't know about that yet ops ops 
I have to feel really comfortable infront of people to really let loose with the karaoke. I get on well with my neighbours but I'm not close enough with them to say "hey come on over and let's do karaoke" Im still frightened of looking like a complete geek in front of my other friends and extended family if I did karaoke in front of them. The friends we do this with are very easy going non judgemental people who don't take themselves so seriously and I find it easier to relax in front of people like that. But you are right, the next step is to challenge myself further with this by doing this with other different people. My female friend who I do karaoke with however is keen to go to a karaoke bar. I joke around with her and tell her yes lets go, but if I got there hmmmmmmm would I do it, I don't know. May be I'd have to have a few drinks first, not that I want to encourage drinking to solve anxiety but when its the first time, would a little help from alcohol really hurt??? Hmm yes I know - THAT'S CHEATING!
Actually, you know a long time ago when I was 21, I went out with a few friends and we went to a restaurant unaware that there was a karaoke bar there and my two friends got up and did a song together, they asked me to go up too but I was too nervous. As I watched them I started getting real jealous because they had the guts to do it and that jealousy drove me on the stage with them half way through the song, all we did was pathetically giggle and the volume of our voices was very low, I couldnt even hear myself :duck :duck Yeh well luckily no one threw tomatoes at us cause they could have easily done so, but after that, even though we were pathetic on stage I still felt better for having attempted it and having a go, and amazingly no one boo'ed. I even have a photo of us on stage. But to me it doesn't really feel like I even sung anything, lol! cause I was so quiet up there, But then again I shouldnt be so hard on myself, typical of an SAS sufferer, lol.


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## tomcoldaba (Jul 1, 2007)

The audience at Karoake bars are usually drinking. When you are drinking anyone sounds good. At least its been my experience. If you drink for your first attempt so what? You are not becoming an alcoholic. :afr


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