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I have been a singer all of my life. I can remember picking up a microphone in my parent's house when I was 5, singing for my relatives. Thanks to mom and dad, I learned to have a sincere love and passion for music in all genres.

I ironically, I never tried karaoke. That is, until I moved here to Ft Myers Florida.

It was December of 2005. I had just moved from Long Island only a couple of months before. My company was having its annual Christmas party. I was still the so-called "new kid on the block", and was not feeling too compfortable around all these strange faces. I only knew a few people's names. Everyone elese was a total stranger to me. We were all having a great time, eating some fantastic food and patraking in the refreshments. This was all foreign to me, going around in December without any heavy winter coat on, having cold drinks and not FEELING cold afterwards-the ever popular "brain freeze" if you will.

Then about 2 hours later, most of the staff wanted to head over to the little Italian joint right next door. "Come on Ron, you'll love it. They do karaoke every night!" Now, I am not one to just jump up and go sing when someone asks me to. I have to be in that right frame of mind. It has always been one of my silly little quirks, ever since I was a kid. I thought long and hard about it, then decided, to show them I could have some fun, "why not? Sure!"

We walked next door, and after a couple of drinks, I walked up and made my request. I figured this was how to do it, after watching others before me do it.

Now here is where I need to set this up for all of you: the place was wall-to-wall people. It honestly felt like a club in downtown Manhattan. It had been quite some time since I last sang in front of a group as large as this. (I have performed in groups of almost 500 in my past. But not doing it in a while, nearly 200 feels like "a lot")

"Okay, right now I am looking for Ron. Ron, come up to the stage!" I quickly felt my heart race, and knew the spotlight was going to be on me. I knew my co-workers were going to be watching me up on there, and on top of that, all the patrons in the place would watch me as well. I also had no idea how they would react to my song choice. (Dust in the Wind by Kansas for those keeping score)

Now, this was and is, my personal favorite song. It is not only a very beautiful and powerful song, but it fits my 1st tenor range quite nicely. Not to mention the fact I knew the song cold.

Nearly the entire time I sang, I tried not to look at the audience, instead concentrating on not making a mistake, or have my voice crack, since I didn't warm up at all.

When I finished, all I could hear this long silence. Then, the following sentence brought me back to Earth: "By far the best performance of the evening-let's give it up for Ron ladies and gentleman!" The audience gave me an amazing applause, and my co-workers were sitting there, all jaws open as wide as their eyes.

I had no idea how to feel. That was my first foray into karaoke, and had fun doing it. I didn't walk off the stage with some arrogance. I sat down and still felt my heart racing, and hands a little sweaty and cold. I think what finally calmed me down was when some fellow who was 10 sheets to the wind and his buddy come up to me and said, "WOW! Me and my buddies thought you were lip-synching!" He then shook my hand and staggered off. We all laughed and that laugh calmed me down a lot. (As well as the shot of tequila).

I only went there one other time since then. But I never forget that first night, and how much fun it was to perform for my new friends. That night, this Notherner was taking the first steps to being a very comfortable Southerner.

Learn more about this author, Ron Schecker.
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