Everywhere you go, you shout it. You don't have to be shy about it.

Dear Faithful Readers,

I've been blogging at this here blogspot for 8 months now. In that time, I realize I have gathered quite the audience of close friends, acquaintances, and strangers across the globe. You've all been very kind in putting up with my babble, stroking my delicate ego, and assuring me I am in fact amusing. And I have tried my hardest to never disappoint as I bring you my bad days, my gripes, my realizations and revelations, my stories, my heart and my hopes. So far, I've told the tales of being a 20-something in a complicated city and have regaled you with my thoughts on: androgyny, tourists, birthdays, love, drunken stumbles, baseball, football, ugly (funny) cakes, American Idol, John Krasinski, the current state of Broadway, grocery shopping, beer, wine, hot wasabi peas, dramatic subway rides, Manolo Blahniks, terrible puns, sweet tea, auditioning, fashion, knee socks, and goodness knows what else. Oh! And let's never forget that time I wrote an ENTIRE BLOG ABOUT A MAN'S ASS.

Suffice it to say, I don't think there are many secrets between us. Which is why telling you what I'm about to tell you is kind of a big deal. I have a feeling that this post is going to push you from "Alison? Yeah, she's a little bit crazy" straight on into "Call the men in the nice white coats, tell them to bring the straight jacket and sedatives, that girl done lost her damn mind!"

Ready?


I am going to audition for American Idol on Tuesday.

Seriously. I mean, come on. I've been talking about it since sophomore year after Lori and I 'bout stomped a hole in her floor and deafened the entire campus with our shrieks upon Kelly Clarkson's coronation. I'm getting mighty close to that whole 28 years old cutoff. I'm never again going to be in a position where I'll live in the same city as the audition AND have a weekday off AND have a friend who also wants to go. And I mean, wasn't moving to New York all about taking risks and doing things I can do nowhere else anyway?
See, this all started when my friend Irene asked if she could crash while in town for the audition. I told myself if I had Tuesday off, I would go. If I was meant to audition, I would have the day off. But that's silly. Destiny and proper star alignment are for the big things, like love and really good finds at the thrift store. This kind of stuff I'll just have to take care of on my own. So I asked for the day off.

I then asked my friend Elizabeth if she would please please please please please go with me to get my armband on Sunday. When she said of course, I told her I loved her for putting up with my insanity. She responded "I love you for knowing I will."

I know I'm not the best singer, but I'm a damn good performer. I could do this. Or, I could just have another really funny story to add to my rapidly expanding collection. My father would call this a "win-win situation." I think I will, too.

Love,
me

P.S. Any song suggestions? I'm at a loss.