I'm sure the $250 goes to the retreat center that hosts the weekend. It's six meals and lodging for two nights in what is supposed to be a beautiful place. I don't think the people organizing the group make any money on it, although there might be enough padding in the budget to pay for a few people who can't afford the $250. I'm on the board of a Catholic retreat center that charges $185 for about the same amount of service, but only four meals. So I won't complain about that cost - that's what it is in California.

And the singing sessions these people have are quite relaxed, and quite supportive of the singers. There are a few people who try to dictate things toward their ideal of snootiness, but they're usually unsuccessful. So most likely, I'll sing my songs the best I can and most people will like them; and I will raise a middle finger of warning should anyone object to my right to sing as I damn well please. It's just that I think it's exclusionary to attempt to dictate how people sing their songs. I think it's better to assume that people will try to do their best, and some will do better than others.

Am I memory challenged? Maybe so. I never let anyone help me carry my groceries to the car at the supermarket, because I never remember where I parked my car and don't want to be embarrassed about that. And similarly, I don't want to be embarrassed about forgetting lyrics, so I use a notebook or tablet.

I used to go to a twice-monthly song gathering with a wonderful woman, and my friend always brought along lyrics sheets as an aid. Another woman in the group chewed her out for not memorizing her songs. The woman's husband, a well-known performer, brought "cheat sheets" with lyrics to the next session and every session thereafter, subtly telling his wife that she was wrong to jump all over my friend. And lately I've noticed the wife using lyrics sheets. Memory lapse hits all of us sooner or later.


-Joe-