The results of my first open mic!

So my sister is signed up for couch surfing, which is where you can find people online and stay on their couch when you're going out of town, and in return you let people do the same at your house. It's a really great deal because you don't have to pay for lodgings, and you even get fed breakfast! It's also a great way to meet some really interesting people and have a little adventure!

This past week we had a great couch surfing experience. A musician named Jessica Ripka was in Pittsburgh for a radio show interview and she picked my sister's place for her couch surfing destination! (My sister has tons of info on how much we love music, so that's probably why she picked us). So for two days we had this amazing musician serenading us on the piano. It was PURE HEAVEN.

But here's the best part. She was playing at an open mic at a place called Club Cafe one night and invited me to go along with her to play a song or two! So I brought my guitar and played a song called "Sunshine" that my friend Zack Kuykendall wrote and is on our CD. Jessica played two songs and she did amazing. I was so excited because it was my first ever open mic and I didn't mess up too bad or anything, and it was a really welcoming and friendly crowd.

But, oh, it gets better! After I played a guy named Tim Ruff approached me and told me he was putting on a show on Saturday night but that his opening act had fallen through, and asked me if I could be his opening act!!!! Can you imagine my excitement?! I was practically bursting with happiness when I told him i definitely could.

So now here I am at home this week freaking out practicing for my very first show. I am playing a half hour set, which requires about 6 or 7 songs, two of which I am bringing my sister up to sing duets with me. Tim Ruff also asked me if I could sing two duets with him: "Lucky" by Jason Mraz and Colbie Callait, and "Falling Slowly" by the Swell Season. Luckily I know both of those songs really well!

I'm sooooo excited! Wish me luck!