Brave Kids on the Block

Brave Thing #2: Sing
And not the lame Celine Dion/Eric Carmen stuff you do in the shower. We're talking about going public. Professional performers need not apply; we're talking about the vocal wallflowers of the world (not to be confused with The Wallflowers, which features the delicious Jakob Dylan.)

It can be as easy as singing along to the radio when carpooling, or for the gutsy, there's always the wide, wide world of karaoke.

And of course, there's caroling. Outside of a karaoke bar and maybe those chain restaurants where they make the staff sing a rendition of "Happy Birthday", the bravest of the brave award will have to go to carolers.

I saw these guys on a trip to San Francisco:



Now, judging by the fine quality of their costumes, I would venture to say that these were not amateur performers. Still, as I watched the red one not-so-surreptitiously toe the tip hat closer to the crowd, I'd still say they were at least just a smidgen out of their comfort zone.

Personally, I've been jamming on Rock Band 2 for the last three days. With my best friend (stage name Toko Oh-No!) on lead guitar and me (Sporky Not-A-Fork) on vocals, we've been a musical sensation hitting nations all over the (virtual) world. We'd still be in Sweden at the Stockholm Synthdrome if we hadn't decided to take a short cookie and juice box break. However, if the crowd requests we perform "Carry On Wayward Son" one more time, I think I might smash some guitars for real. I never thought I'd end up sympathizing with Kansas, but well, Steve Walsh, here's lookin' at you.

So there it is, kids. Singing. And as a church music director once told us at Mass: "If you think God gave you an awful voice, go ahead and punish him with it."