American Idol Auditions Reflection

This weekend I traveled to Chicago to try out for the American Idol auditions.
We left Saturday evening from Alicia's graduation party (which went very well, my video was a hit!), and stayed in a Comfort Suites over night.
Sunday morning we left for registration, which started at 5 am, at 4 am. I woke up at 3:15 am. When we got there at 5:00 we were expecting a huge line. This guy pulled us to a side street and helped us park for $10. When we left we asked if he'd still be there when we got back, and he said we'd be back in 20 minutes which confused us. Sure enough, there was hardly a line. We were in and out with our tickets and wrist bands in 15 minutes. We then got our picture taken by the Jordan Statue (who didn't have it's tongue out.... very upset).
It was still about 5:30 in the morning, so we started heading out to Naperville to see Connie and Jim. They have a new puppy, one year old, her name is Ginger and is a Great Dane. HUGE!!!!! They are so funny, such biker kids in a 50 year olds body.
After that we went back to the UC to meet with Jamie before he had to go to work. While he was at work we took a nap, and then went for a walk in the park. I took Dad to Buckingham Fountain, Grant Park, the water, and Millennium Park. When Jamie got back from work we met him up and went to Giordanos where Dad had his first Chicago stuffed pizza. We got back early, practiced a lil, and went to bed around 8 or 9.
This morning we woke up at 3 am, and we met my friend Amanda and her aunt in the lobby at 4:30 am. We drove to the United Center and got into line, it was already PACKED!!!!!! It started raining a little bit but stopped by 7:30. We sat and listened to music and talked to people and it was pretty fun. They handed out free Coca Cola which was cool.
At 8:00 we started walking in. They took the farthest to the right line first which was the people who got there the latest so that was frustrating. We got in there, and everyone got situated.
Y100 called again and did an on phone interview. They asked me who my favorite judge was and I said "Simon cause he's just honest and what he says is the truth". Then he asked what song, if I was nervous, etc...
We spent an hour doing cheers and recording for the opening of the show. They tried to make us call it "Chill" like Chicago Illinois... but we booed it and ended up calling it Chi-town. We said things like "I'm the next american idol!" "No I'M the next American Idol" "American Idol Chicago" and then we recorded everyone singing the song "Hot and Cold" by Katy Perry a few times. That apparently was the big song of the audition.
We then sat and waiting 6 or 7 hours till the bottom section and second to top section to go. On the court there were 12 stations set up, with a table at each station, a drap separating each station. At each table sat 2 or 3 producers. We would go up in groups of 4, you would one at a time in a row, step forward, sing your 30 second song, and then for 99% of the people they would say "Thank you, you have very nice voices, but it's not what we are looking for. Please come back next season." Same rehersed line every time.
I think the main thing I learned today is that what you see on TV is the very last in a series of auditions and interviews.... I feel even worse for the people that are horrible, cause they get through all these levels, and they think they are good cause they are getting through all these... and Simon and them are the ones that have to break it to them that they actually suck and we are making fun of them.
Overall, it was a good experience, I'm happy that I went even though I didn't make it. I knew going up there I wasn't going to, because there was these REALLY amazing singers in front of me who didn't get through, they were better at singing the genre then I was and since they didn't get through I knew I wasn't going to. But it's just not for me at all, I'd rather teach honestly, and I'm kinda happy I didn't go on. But it was cool to see what happens backstage. I'm glad I went, I have no regrets.