Slate has a humorous article written by a lady who found her courage to take up singing lessons. A really amusing read, especially if you're looking for insults to hurl at the next donkey who brays in front of you.

My family actively exploits my handicap. On long car rides, while some people play the license plate game, my husband and 9-year-old daughter egg me on to compete against them in "The Worst Singer Contest." I am undefeated. My husband describes my voice as like "a police scanner searching for a frequency."

In case you think she's exaggerating about her singing, she provides a demonstration here. Kind of makes me wonder how she sounded before lessons. On second thought, I think I'll leave that pleasure to her husband and child. Kudos to her bravery though. In her shoes, I'd have gone through a thousand hells to avoid performing in front of a 100-strong crowd.

Don't forget to check out the comments page. Some of the comments are cruel, but some are funny in their own right. Here's one by rundeep:

And if you enjoy singing, by all means keep doing it and don't worry about what anyone thinks. However, forget every other poster who has encouraged you with the lie that you will improve. Technique can be improved but basic vocal quality and pitch in my experience cannot. If you can't sing back a pitch (and manifestly you cannot) the odds are good you never will. I look forward to your next adventure with an odd mix of trepidation and joy. (Maybe you could try Kabuki?)

Filed under: Article, Humour