Gosh, I just need to get this off my chest.

A few months ago a pianist I know spoke to me about a poetry-music project coming up. She was still looking for some Dutch texts. I've sent her some stuff and the next thing I know is that she's asking me to join the project. I'll be reading my own poetry and doing the presentation with another friend (telling something about the poets whose texts have been put on music, translating the Portuguese poems, etc)...

I will get paid for it, and it takes place during the ten days of the 'Gentse feesten' (some huge festival kinda thing taking place in the city I live in).

Yesterday I got a call from the pianist asking me to come over for a photo-shoot. I had to be dressed all black. So I jumped on my bike today and arrived there completely wet, as it had been raining cats and dogs. It felt so strange, listening to comments like 'turn your head', 'smile a little more', in a completely awesome setting (the building we'll be performing at).

Suddenly all of this is becoming very serious. The man who's responsible for the project just told me that there will probably be a tour after summer. This means that I'll be touring through Belgium and the Netherlands for a few months. Don't know if I'll be able to keep my currect job (teaching).

Of course I'm very happy and I feel rather honoured, but when I mailed Sandra (the pianist and composer) my texts, I really had no idea this would become so big.

I've never done something like this, and my self-esteem is so fucking low. Writing texts and putting them on myspace, or performing in small pubs is already confronting, but this is another thing.

Did you ever get promoted or become involved in a huge project without you actively trying or knowing what you were doing?

MarieLouise said:

you'll do just fine Marie

You're gonna do great, Mary Louise! You have TONS of friends here that will be praying, rooting, and thinking of you! We all know you can do it!

And it is an honor to be second to One4All4Ever.

Yes. I will be going to teach English in South Korea which is quite daunting. The ironic thing is that I will be teaching young children i.e. small!

JDInteractive said:

you'll be fine 2 JD

JDInteractive said:

Exactly. I think it will be a fantastic experience, but I would be scared to death if I had to do something like that.

The summer after my Jr. year of High School, me and my friend who played bass got called to play with a visiting musician in town as his rhythm section was stranded in the last city.

I ended up playing drums with Ellis Marsalis that night.

You'll be great and I think you should post the pictures of you soaking wet in all black.

RodeoSchro said:

Mars23 said:

That's indeed a story !

I don't think I will ever 'own' the pics. They're in the hands of the photographer and I think I'll only see the selected ones.

Mars23 said:

That's a little bit like how Maceo Parker ended up with James Brown...

This is a pic of the building I'll be performing at during summer, though.

MarieLouise said:

That is a beautiful building, but its beauty does not approach yours.

RodeoSchro said:

This flattery is making it even worse !

You will do splendid

Best wishes

Just go with the flow. Just make sure you put aside the insecurity to enjoy the experience.

The 'follow your ' advice is often a good one. There will always be teacher positions, a tour doing what you love is something else.

And you know it, now snap out of it and send me the pics made on that session!