I can play in front of an audience all day and not think twice about ooooooh...being on stage.  Don't give a shit.

Make me play in front of my peers?  I give a BIG shit.  Usually right in my pants.  There's nothing worse for me than playing music while my peers sit and critique me.

So, since day 1 of my career as a US Navy musician, I have dreaded going back to the Armed Forces School of Music, because I've been petrified to audition in front of my peers.

Eventually, it became inescapable.  17 years in the Navy, and I finally bit down hard on the bullet and went back.  And my audition incoming was shaky.  My second audition was shakier.  Yesterday, I took the monkey on my back out to Sbarro's for lunch, and I sat with him in the car (before my final audition was to take place) and I had a long talk with him.

I'm happy to say that monkey be dead now.  I passed off the audition requirements, and life can start being a little more relaxed, because the rest of the course I'm taking is mostly elementary.

I'd like to personally thank my heavenly Flying Spaghetti Monster for seeing me through it (even though He doesn't really care about silly little shit like this and would readily tell you he had nothing to do with my success.  Thanks for being there anyway, FSM.  RAmen.)

This is just a diary-type entry.  No comments are warranted.