Things I Want to Do:

Learn how to sing: I took voice lessons in high school, but was never a remarkable talent. On the night of my vocal recital, I cried so much about how bad a singer I was, my mother did not make me go and perform. I had a younger singer that was blessed with the god given talent of a beautiful singing voice. I, on the other hand, sound like a frog. I worked so hard in voice lessons, but was not blessed with any singing ability.
Learn how to play the piano: Again, I took piano lessons for many years and worked very hard to become a mediocre player. I can read Easy Piano music and can play a few songs from memory. Playing piano was more of a skill than a talent for me. I worked very, very hard for the level of skill that I have achieved. I only wish I could sit down and play songs after hearing them once. I have tried, on more than one occasion, to try this,but have repeatedly failed.

My elementary school had a 'band day' where the current members of the school band showed off and talked about their specific instruments. I was immediately drawn to the deep, sexy, whiny drawl of the saxophone. Yet,at only ten years old, was still feeling the intense peer pressure to be interested in the sweet, delicate,feminine flute. I was, however, a very, tiny girl. I could not physically handle a regular flute. My arm span would have required a specialized flute, with a specially modified and curved mouthpiece. This curved mouthpiece would have made it possible for my short arms to reach all the keys on the flute.

I started music lessons in the fourth grade. I had come to a compromise between the flute and the saxophone: the clarinet. I suppose it had the best features of both instruments. And we were able to find a decent, used instrument in the classified ads of the Nashua Telegraph. I started lessons the summer before fourth grade, perhaps to give me a slight advantage over the other music students. Or perhaps my mother was determined to use these summer music lessons as a self-esteem booster, as a way for me to feel more informed than my peers in the band.