Karaoke Crew

I have a new tradition for most Tuesday nights, and it's karaoke. My love for karaoke started last summer when I went to a bar after a concert with some friends. This bar happen to have karaoke that night, and no one was really participating in it, so one of my friends (who was in RENT with me) talked me into singing "I Will Survive." I was hooked. I don't sing to show off any talent or to impress anyone. Karaoke for me is about letting loose and hoping that you make someone in the audience sing along, or even just laugh at my musical choice. Unfortunately, this particular bar had a really shitty karaoke night, and I didn't know about any others (I also didn't have any friends that cared for karaoke), so I didn't think of it much until a couple months ago.

My friend from nursing school, Lacey, lives in the fan and has this love affair going with a restaurant/bar called Sticky Rice (all you Richmonders know exactly where I'm talking about). As it turns out, Sticky Rice has karaoke on Tuesdays. So I convinced my friend, Rob, to ditch his usual Tuesday night bar for some quality karaoke. And we had an absolute blast.

Almost every Tuesday since, we've returned. Every time we return, we bring new people.... well usually I'm the only one bringing new people. So our little karaoke group has expanded from a few seats at the crowded bar to getting there early to monopolize a booth and 2 tables to cram all together.

I know some people who don't like when their groups of friends intermingle. I just don't understand that. I looked around at so many people that I know and love last Tuesday and absolutely loved that they were all becoming fast friends. From my work friends to my nursing school friends to a college friend and even a dude I met at a concert a few weeks back. In fact, 2 of them are even starting to date because of our little karaoke crew.

As I mention in almost every post, it's very difficult for me to have time for myself these days. I spend most of my time in the hospital, at work, in the classroom, or running in my neighborhood. It's nice to look forward to such a mundane day such as Tuesday and plan out my karaoke songs throughout the week. It's fun to bring people into the group who are accepted immediately by so many people whose company I enjoy. My friend, Erin, told me that after she had such a good time this past week, I'm never able to sing karaoke without her again.

It's amazing what brings people together sometimes, but apparently for this crew, it just takes alcohol, a microphone, and some music. I wonder how many people will be inducted into the crew next week.