As you know, when it comes to taking auditions, only take the ones you really want or that are close by because they can be expensive. How expensive? Well, let me tell you…
This past Wednesday I flew up to Boston for a second round audition with the Air Force Band of Liberty. It was a challenge from the start. I barely got on the last possible flight out of Atlanta, which was overbooked and barely made it. Why was it a problem? Well, my mother in law works for the Airline and was able to get me a standby ticket for considerably less money. This has worked wonderfully for me in the past with no problem, but this time, apparently Boston is tough to get in and out of, so I have learned a lesson.
I made it to the hotel and had a really good audition. Unfortunately, I did not win the job, but as always, the audition reinforced in me what I need to do to improve my auditioning and preparation skills. Always good experience. I was scheduled to fly out the next day: Friday AM. Turns out that ALL of Fridays flights were overbooked. So, I decided to stay until Saturday, at least I get an extra day to explore Boston right?
Original expenses:
Airport parking + gas
Airline ticket
Meals
Hotel
Mass transit fare
Additional expenses incurred:
extra hotel night stay
additional meals
additional mass transit fare
Shuttle service to airport
So I have a great day exploring Boston: seeing Paul Revere’s House, exploring Little Italy (and eating gelato!), seeing the harbor, eating dinner at Legal Seafood, seeing all the historic sights of downtown Boston and Harvard, Quincy Market, etc.
It was a tiring day. I prepared to go to bed, knowing I’d have to get up in about 4 hours to get to my 6:45 AM flight. I call the airlines to make sure…
Bad news.
All flights for Saturday are now overbooked due to weather cancellations in Atlanta on Friday.
Ok……
So, now, instead of flying out Friday, instead of flying out Saturday, I’m here another day, flying out Sunday…HOPEFULLY! Thank goodness for a family friend who lives in the area and is sweet enough to drive out here (Lexington is kind of inaccessible) pick me up and let me stay at her house. Things wouldn’t be a problem except that I have no way to get out of here: the bus doesn’t run on Saturdays here so I can’t get to the train station to even go back to Boston.
There is no guarantee I’ll catch a flight tomorrow and the extra sad news? I had a concert to play with Sinfonia Gulf Coast tonight, that I had to cancel. So not only am I spending extra money here that I had not intended to spend, now I’m not MAKING extra money.
There are worse places and times to be stranded but let this be a lesson to anyone wanting to take auditions:
1) Take only the auditions you really want
2) OVER prepare for them
3) Bring extra money, snacks and changes of clothes, just in case
Total tally?
Extra days parking at airport
2 extra nights at hotel
Extra meals
Extra fare for mass transport
+ original airfare, meals, transportation
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