SO MUCH has happened in the span of three weeks, but for me in blogging, I often have to let an event soak in for days, maybe even a week after, to allow the true aspects of covering it all soak in completely.    Hence, sometimes, it is just easier to work your way backwards, which is exactly what I will do in these next few posts – there just is simply too much to let go, too much to try and cover in one burst.  Such is life…

The more common wish of “Break a leg!” is what you think of when wishing so many “Good luck!” before a production.  I did some researching and found these alternatives, Merde!, Ganbatte Ne (in Japanese), Toi Toi, Toi, In bocca al lupo! (or a variation of this being  “So in bocca al lupo” –  ,  Melange O’ Tois – 

but move past the formalities of how to wish someone a great job, and if you think about it, I think all of us has been in a moment, watching someone we vaguely knew, wished to know, have grown up with, taught, or simply admired and supported and felt this level of emotion in seeing them succeed and have grown, and seeing it arrive in their personality in one major moment.  Sometimes this occurs onstage, in a small coffeeshop, a library or auditorium for a Talent Show, Open Mic, competition, etc but if you dig deep, I am pretty sure we all have been there, had that creeping emotional leap inside seeing another achieve something spectacular, that often is too much even for words.

With that intro information, I was generously asked to be a judge for the 2018 Woodbridge High School Talent Show and I approached this with genuine appreciation for being thought of to be asked to be a part – after seeing and participating with so many talented students in Mexico City’s Repentino. Open Mic, seeing a countless Blue Moon Talent Show in Mexico City, participating in Battle of the Bands in Seaford, seeing House Concerts in Mexico, initiating Open Mic in Woodbridge and having a chance to meet students through their talents, and just loving the scene of bringing together an activity that brings talents, interests, and a little bit of media together, it is always a good time that occurs in so many different fashions.

Being asked by the Woodbridge Yearbook staff to do so, was an honor to see how this would run in a totally new geographic area – same type of event I have been always involved in as a spectator, but , gulp, judging – imagine my nervousness in always trying to lean AWAY from judging and always encouraging rather that competing – and then there was more…

Guess who would be judging alongside me? 

(I mean like real – well known individuals – get this lineup of judging:

Chris Havrilla, Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science recipient,   Altia Anderson – Woodbridge alumni and now awesome Marquette Golden Eagles basketball player, Tykena Hagans – Exuberant DJ at 97.5, Grace Oltey, Miss Delaware’s Outstanding Teen from 2014, and me, lol . – I was surrounded in major talent.  During the whole evening – I felt the same feeling I alluded to seeing some amazingness  –

this is often the feeling you get when you hit the “right” college campus for you, the “right” job when you settle in, and this was it, the students GLOWED – and it was beyond amazing to see some of these students that performed at Open Mic and they simply glowed on stage and grew so much – it was amazing to see.  When you think student talent show you go in with expectations of like “Hey they are going to try and it is going to be cool…”  

From the first act I knew this was just more than your regular talent show.  It was amazing to see each of the performers pull out many stops and confidence – it was exciting to see these amazing acts :

Written dramatic monologue performed to music

Original designed choreographed country music 

An original created guitar piece with sentimental merit

An awesome rendition of country music as a solo singer (Top place!)

A rap number full of excitement and motivation

An original choreographed musical keyboard number full of talent

A great rendition of a Weird Al number pulling on the audience’s enthusiasm

and much more.  it was exciting to see students from Woodbridge come up and chat with the judges and overall, this was SUCH a GREAT pulled off event – Ms Workman as the sound and lights, the Yearbook Staff on the whole event, the students/staff/parents  attending and supporting their peers, the student capturing these moments, the judges capitalizing on these accomplishments, when you get this feeling of seeing students receiving an opportunity to grow and capitalizing on it – it shines brighter than brightest spotlight on any individual act.