During my voice lesson, described here my teacher said, "Oh, you have a voice like caramel. Rich and warm."

In the second lesson, she got my voice past the A I was worrying about and to the f above that. And then later, to the C above high C. That is, three octaves above middle C. I did not sound good there, but she said she was stretching my vocal cords, and it was in an exercise. Quite amazing.

She also stretched it downwards. I don't know how far.

She said, "Oh, your voice is not like caramel. It is like warm toffee."

I was delighted and embarrassed both. I got the giggles during the lesson because I was facing a window. A cat outside crossing the yard stopped and stared at me when I was doing high exercises. It was the second cat to do that.

My teacher said, "Animals usually don't like focused voices, unless they are very creamy. It is a compliment if they come listen." She said that in another lesson two deer had come and stood under the tree outside, listening.

"You have certainly inherited part of your father's voice." she said. I hugged that to myself.

At the next choral practice, another singer and I were discussing lessons. "She's very, very positive," said the other singer.

I thought about that. She WAS very positive but I thought that it was genuine. Also, if she was buttering me up, what would be the motive? She comes across the country a couple of times a year: she's not going to get rich giving me lessons. She had more skill at drawing out my best voice than any of the other three teachers I had worked with, all for short times. My response to instruction seemed to delight her. It was wonderful to work with her. I think that she would be positive with any student. I've had people say the same about my sister; that they were charmed and delighted by her.

I taped the second session. When I practice, both cats come in the room. The black and white tabby spends the entire practice doing figure 8s around my legs. Occasionally I pat her, but for the most part I am concentrating too hard. She even stays to that triple high C.

My receptionist was telling me about her father. She said that he was a minister who was wonderful at bringing out the best in people. I am thinking of these examples and how to do that in clinic with my patients. To have them feel that cared for, delighted in, their best drawn out.

Friday I celebrated with a patient, a man who had his first birthday in eleven years where he was not on any substances. He is overjoyed. And I am too.

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