I’m writing this on the train back to Philadelphia. New York was a blast. I had come to the American Society of Journalists and Authors conference to chat with other writers, and I most definitely did that. I also sang with them. This made last night a wee bit shorter than it probably should have been. I blame Katherine Lewis.
She likes karaoke. Indeed, I heard that she goes by the nickname “Karaoke Kakki.” She convinced Jon Birger, who has a delightful if depressing book coming out this summer about why the dating odds are stacked against women, and me, to join her at a little karaoke spot she’d found on 35th street. We went in, and Lewis deemed this place unacceptable for the sort of karaoke she wished to do. So we went to a second karaoke place (on the same street!) to try it out.
It did not look promising. There was an open street level door leading to a nondescript metal staircase. You could be climbing into nothing, or some crime-ridden abandoned building. But Lewis forged ahead first, and this karaoke spot proved just right. It was the sort with the small booths you can rent, the requisite Asahi beer, and even tambourines, so friends could participate as the back-up band while someone else was singing. I found this to be a nice touch. Indeed, it was such a nice touch that I spent the next two hours belting out such classics as My Heart Will Go On and On (tank up for the chorus after the bridge!) and Let it Go.
It occurs to me that there is a metaphor here, of the delightful things one can find up staircases that do not at first appear enticing. But the world is full of possibility. Say yes to the karaoke invitation and sometimes these possibilities reveal themselves.
In other news: If you enjoy my blog, you might also enjoy my next book I Know How She Does It. If you pre-order a copy before June 2, you can join my book club and access two exclusive webinars I will be hosting in June. Follow those links to learn more.