So who would have thunk it? This is theoretically gonna be one of those really good journal posts. This is because this post is really for me and everyone else just gets to go along for the ride.
Normally, this level of meta-exposition isn’t necessary but in this case it works as a perfectly ironic framing device. Tonight Horizon Oasis held a banquet in honour of our visiting guests the OTO USGL Electoral College. An excellent feast was prepared by the officers. And then there was entertainment. Ah, yes. Karaoke.
Now, I have carefully spent the last 20 years reconditioning myself to be an extrovert. This means, not getting wound up over what others think about me, being able to start conversations with complete strangers, and most importantly feel at home in the clothes that are “my being” in public. However, it would seem that when it comes to a book of vocal-less music and a microphone; all bets are off.
To be honest I have in fact performed karaoke 2 1/2 times. The first time was in college when a couple of friends went into a kiosk to destroy Aerosmith’s Love in an Elevator. I chimed in at the end to try to do the bass harmony. A few years later a bunch of us climbed into a booth to rework, “Under the Boardwalk” by the drifters.
But my absolute resistance to solo karaoke is multi-emotional to me. It is frustrating, terrifying, annoying, embarrassing, confusing, draining, and probably about 10 other Gerunds that I can’t come up with at the moment.
Let me back up a moment; I like singing. Well usually. The drive home after the event featured the quietest one might ever find me and that was with my sing-a-long cd playing in the car. Yup, about 80 song designed to strengthen and workout my voice. Theoretically, I have a three octave range. And the strange thing is… I have next to no faith in my own singing voice. Oh, I’ll sing in the car (well, eventually when tonight’s trauma has passed). But, publicly? Only if I have beaten the hell out of myself to get it perfect. Which again, makes no sense when you realize how many times I’ve sung certain songs on my discs.
A lack of faith in my voice? Hell yeah. I consider my voice very nasal from the get go. Yay Jewish Genes. So, this means I don’t think I have a lot of warmth to the tone. Okay… on top of that were the couple of impressionable times in my life where I was told to my face I was ruining a song by attempting to sing through it. And they were people who (for better or worse at the time) I trusted. I have no real gauge. I have had people tell me I’m really good and others tell me that I realllly suck.
So, despite an absolute love of performance and singing, an abject terror on front of people.
Damn, there is more on this topic I want to write right now, but after hiking and discovering high-blood pressure thru embarassment this evening.I’m falling asleep as I type. More tomorrow.
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I wouldn’t do it
No way, no how. It isn’t that I think my voice is bad. But karaoke seems to me to be designed to humiliate. It’s just not my idea of a good time.
I like it, but mostly because I can sing enough that I’m only slightly horrible when I’m out of tune.
I also have had years of practice ignoring what I think other people are thinking of me – because frankly, down that path is madness for a fat chick.
*HUG*
I feel ya. There is no way in hell I will ever perform solo karaoke. I’ve had friends with terrible voices unabashedly get up in front of people to sing, but not me.
Good on you for reconditioning yourself into extroversion, another thing I can’t imagine succeeding at – or wanting to!
Just out of curiosity, what song did you perform?
Such was my problem
I couldn’t bring myself to actually sing along. I made myself busy by taking pictures and recording people; but couldn’t actually perform. Much to many people’s surprise.
I don’t sing as a public service. š
Sometimes in the car I can’t help myself until I hear me.
Karaoke
I didn’t sing either, although my bishop egged me to do it, and I sing with the Medieval Women’s Choir. Karaoke isn’t about *singing*, it’s about *performance*, and I don’t feel I’m all that great a performer.
Ever thought about singing with a choir? It’s great fun, strengthens the voice, and you have all those other voices around you propping you up.
BTW it was great to see you at the dinner. I would love to do coffee with you sometime soon, just for fun.
I can do sing-a-longs, but not karaoke. Ain’t gonna happen. I used to go to this wonderful piano bar in Austin called the Ivory Kat. It was a blast–they had a couple of different piano players on rotation leading the entire bar in a sing-a-long of music from different popular genres. I loved it. But, quite frankly, I’m not sure I would do karoke to save my own life.
I can do sing-a-longs, but not karaoke. Ain’t gonna happen. I used to go to this wonderful piano bar in Austin called the Ivory Kat. It was a blast–they had a couple of different piano players on rotation leading the entire bar in a sing-a-long of music from different popular genres. I loved it. But, quite frankly, I’m not sure I would do karoke to save my own life.