American Idol auditions!!! The drive to Louisville was very rainy. My mom and I drove through Chicago and you couldn’t even see the Sears tower. How’s that for rain? Other than that it was an enjoyable drive. I’m a big fan of long car trips. My family pretty much drove everywhere on our vacations when I was little – numerous trips to Florida and a three day drive to California. I am very proud to say I didn’t even get us lost. That might be a first. However I did take us fifteen minutes off the freeway in search of a Starbucks. Hey, this girl has to have her coffee. Once in Louisville we checked into the hotel and went straight to get an American Idol wristband. I didn’t really see anything while in Louisville. I woke up at 3 am the morning of the audition. I think I had 4 hours of sleep at the most. We were required to line up by 5 am so they could get all of the “standing in line” shots. I finally got in the building at 8 am. They had us sing a few crowd songs. None of the judges were there in Louisville, nor was Ryan Seacrest. A line of tables were set up for people to audition at. I finally auditioned at 2 pm. If it would have been much longer, I probably would have left. I was so tired and cold and my straightened hair turned curly because of the Kentucky humidity. I ended up not making it to the next round. It would have been a travesty if I did. There were people who were far more talented than me. You could hear them through the entire arena and they weren’t put through. There was a guy there from Washington who could not sing for the life of him. They put him though clearly to be made fun of. He was so excited that he was in tears. I felt awful because he now had to pay to travel back two months later (hotel, airfare, etc.) to get made fun of. He really thought he could sing too.
On to Nashville… Wow, was it an AMAZING time. I can’t even put it in words. I met twenty-five of the most amazing/talented/intelligent women. I know that sounds so cliché, but I think I made life-long friends. There were no cliques or talking behind each other’s back. We just all hung out. If someone needed help, there would be another queen there to help them out. I didn’t have to do my hair the entire time thanks to Miss New Jersey’s sister. One night a mini dance party formed in the hotel restaurant. Actually, the whole time there was like a giant dance party. Some of us Miss queens even got up during intermission of the teen pageant and started dancing in the aisles. I’m sure some parents probably thought we were crazy. I don’t think there was one night that I was back to the hotel room before midnight because all of the queens were in the lobby or restaurant chatting with one another. I feel so blessed to be a part of a program like ANTSO that just radiates positivity.
Talent went well. I didn’t win any awards, but I know I did my personal best. I belted a D at the end my song which is really difficult to do, and it took me months to not have my voice crack. I was so excited for that. My dad also made it in time to see talent – he flew in from a business trip in Canada. From talent there was interview. This was the strangest interview I have ever had. It was a conversation really more than an interview. There were a lot of political questions. One judge asked me how I got my red hair. One judge spent like two minutes talking about how I should keep pursuing my Broadway dreams. I talked about the housing market in Chicago and New York (I’m looking at law schools there). I talked to one judge about her bad relationships with Wisconsin guys, and how I apparently should date a southern guy because they are better (that’s what she suggested). It was odd, but definitely fun. It keeps you on your feet when you are made to discuss things other than what’s on the resume.
This takes us to prelims. I really wanted to make sure the opening dance went well because I was in the front row. Other than that I had no set goals as far as the prelim night went. I came to the realization five minutes before jean competition that I have no torso. I don’t know why I never realized this before, but when you have a white t-shirt tucked into jeans it becomes pretty obvious. I figured it was too late to spontaneously grow a torso so I put on my black heels (those heels were a mistake!) and went to model my jeans. I’m not really good at the whole modeling thing. I’m never exactly sure what I’m supposed to be doing. The onstage question was about if I feel I missed out on high school by having only attended two years. I the judges assumed that because I graduated at 16, I must have started high school at 14. I explained this wasn’t the case, and that I had really attended four years of school. People drove me around when I didn’t have my license, etc. Evening gown might have been my favorite. This is the best I have felt by far in an evening gown. It was just the perfect gown for me.
Finals night… I was just focused on the dance because I was in the front row for this one as well. After the production number they called top ten. After they call seven names, I just figure I’m out of the running. I was thinking at this time that my paperwork must not have been that good. With one name left I kind of saw the emcee start to form a W with her mouth. They call me! I was dumbfounded. I think I may have started clapping for myself. I’m sure I was making the funniest most surprised face ever. I had to remember what I was supposed to do next – walk forward into the top ten line. It was my director’s birthday and she was crying. I was just excited to bring this achievement back to the state of Wisconsin. It is not too often that a Wisconsin girl becomes a finalist. The other non-finalist queens had set out all of my things for me to change, and helped me get ready for the next part. I didn’t know where I was supposed to be in line because I only paid attention to what the people who didn’t make top ten were supposed to do, honestly. I switched my shoes for the jeans competition too – the other shoes were too tall. I was just beaming onstage. I could’ve cared less if I continued on into the top five. Top ten was enough for me. When they called the top five and I didn’t make it, my heart was still pounding from being called top ten and I was still beaming.
When I came back to Wisconsin, I had a meeting at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin to assist in the creation of a form that will be filled out by parents and adolescent patients to evaluate residents. I took a nice month break before my last semester of college started. I have thirteen credits, so not too bad. I take my LSAT on October 4th, and have officially concluded I will be going to law school for international (human rights) law. I’m hoping in the few months between college and law school that I will get a chance to travel abroad (somewhere that I haven’t decided on yet).
There are a few things coming up on my schedule that I’m involved in. On the 9th I will be on WKTI talking about the Briggs and Al’s Run & Walk. I think I will be speaking at 6:30 am. If you want to hear me, you’ll have to wake up rather early. The actual Brigg’s and Al’s Run & Walk is on the 20th. I also was contacted by Baxter to travel to some of their BioLife events. The only set event on my calendar at this moment is a ribbon cutting at the Appleton BioLife. I’m hoping to go on the ANTSO trip to Virgin Islands where from what I understand we will be assisting in the remodeling/building of a Boys and Girls Club. I really hope power tools are involved – I’m serious.
When I came back to Wisconsin, I had a meeting at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin to assist in the creation of a form that will be filled out by parents and adolescent patients to evaluate residents. I took a nice month break before my last semester of college started. I have thirteen credits, so not too bad. I take my LSAT on October 4th, and have officially concluded I will be going to law school for international (human rights) law. I’m hoping in the few months between college and law school that I will get a chance to travel abroad (somewhere that I haven’t decided on yet).
There are a few things coming up on my schedule that I’m involved in. On the 9th I will be on WKTI talking about the Briggs and Al’s Run & Walk. I think I will be speaking at 6:30 am. If you want to hear me, you’ll have to wake up rather early. The actual Brigg’s and Al’s Run & Walk is on the 20th. I also was contacted by Baxter to travel to some of their BioLife events. The only set event on my calendar at this moment is a ribbon cutting at the Appleton BioLife. I’m hoping to go on the ANTSO trip to Virgin Islands where from what I understand we will be assisting in the remodeling/building of a Boys and Girls Club. I really hope power tools are involved – I’m serious.
I added a slide show at the top of this website. All of the pictures are from my time in Nashville at the ANTSO National Miss competition.
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