What would you be if you weren’t what you are?

Sounds like a dumb question, but really it’s a fun one to think about. Gets the gears turning in an out-of-the-box way, getting us entertaining things outside of our current and perhaps rut-building reality.  Like for me, if I weren’t a professional skydiver life coach, I always said I’d be a rock star.  Like the front-man singer of a band.  Like Vince Neil or Neil Diamond or Natalie Maines from the Dixie Chicks.  Again, may sound dumb, cliché even, but given the way my life has turned out, like the Queen of Hearts, I make a daily practice of believing impossible things.  I’ve got too much proof not to.  The short list of course being: home, man, career, life experiences, etc.  For instance, I get to go Mexico in December and do a demonstration jump for a bunch of school kids with my boyfriend and one of my best friends.  My perception is that this is in no way normal… and I get to do it.  As such, I’m a believer.

So anyway, I love to sing.  I’m certainly no Carrie Underwood killer American Idol, but I can hit a pitch in a reasonable range, and most definitely enjoy the adrenaline of the stage.  (Another reason I always say karaoke is living the dream.) I used to be in a singing group in college called the Mamajamas.  Such a fun, funny, and hip group, full of heart, on top of being totally musically with it. I think saying the word “hip” excludes me from  actually being hip, but whatever, we were, I swear.  I loved it.

So, when I went to TX this summer, I was hanging out with two of my best friends.  We were talking about this topic exactly, and turns out my friend actually was the front man of a band.  Like legit.  A cover band called Johnny Feelgood.  He regaled us with tales of his long hair, fan following, and the feeling he got every time sang Green Day for a crowd packed shoulder-to-shoulder.  He told us how he wasn’t even that great of a singer, and despite that, how easy it was to get the gig and book shows.  I listened wide-eyed, mouth open, gears turning.  He told me to look in the newspaper or on Craig’s List for bands looking for singers.  Not like I actually need to be Vince Neil, but I do have long blond hair and a ferocious affinity for go-huge life experiences of this nature.  Essentially sealing the deal, my friend whipped out an old newspaper article with Johnny Feelgood featured in the entertainment section.  Of course, my long-haired pal was mis-quoted saying some unsubtle sexual innuendo, that we all found totally hilarious and awesome on multiple levels.

See, it’s not like I’m going to do this one tomorrow… I mean, I’m en route to Portland, ME to hang out with one of my favorite families and skydive coach all weekend at one of my fave DZ’s.  It’s not happening right now… it may never happen… but the idea is germinating.  It struck the fun go-huge do-crazy-sh*t life-experience chord in me, and it’s resonating.  Basically I’m throwing this idea out there to you guys to make it that much more real.  To keep it in my conscious mind.  To give me some accountability as I move into deciding what to do with my time this coming year.  My little seedling of an idea is growing, and I’m turning the sunlamp on by telling you all.  I haven’t quite pulled out the Miracle Grow, but the sunlamp IS on.  Let’s see how long it takes to develop into a performance date and me posting an invitation to all of you.  Hmm… 🙂

Interesting… I like it.  Feels exciting.  I like it.  Maybe I should rephrase that initial question… what do you want to be as part of what you already are?  Rock star front man?  Karate master? Race car driver? Mother?  Father?  Solo stage poet?  Zip-liner?  Writer?  Published author?  World traveler?  Marathon runner?  Whatever it is, plant it, think it.  I’m with you with the sunlamp.

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