The Pictures of Sunday's Performance

I am listening to a track of myself singing and I want to say to everyone who ever told me I was a shitty singer to F OFF!  I have a beautiful singing voice.  So, to all you musicians and singers, and dancers, and writers and other artists out there, please don't stifle people who are trying to learn to sing, play an instrument, etc....I was so intimidated and felt stifled in the distant past that I never wanted to try and sing again.  It took a long time and a lot of exposure to music, and a person who really, really knew music and encouraged me, to  really dive back into it.  And now I hear my voice, and am not ashamed to say that it is really beautiful and powerful.  So, I know that certain people in the family I married into...you had no right to criticize my singing voice, to tell me that I sang "like a man" (er, who cares if I did?) and to tell me that my voice was horrible.  Everyone should sing!!!  And dance, and try anything they want in the arts.  It's fine to correct and get instruction, but making fun of anyone who tries is so cruel.  No one should be made fun of for this.

Speaking of the arts, here are some of my pictures from the Santa Cruz Raks show in Santa Cruz on February 9...these are of the basket dance, and the whole troupe doing "Ya Bint Al Shek", choreographed by the late John Compton and his troupe, Habhi Ru.   Photos are by Daev Roehr, our wonderful photographer.

Enjoy!