Yes, I suppose I can hit the wall. Last Sunday, after church, I amused the Conservatory students with my imitation of Barry Manilow. (I kept it mercifully short.)

But keep this in mind. When we are doing our utmost, we are most likely to lose control. When rushing down stairs, we are most likely to fall. When running full out, we are most likely to hit a crack in the sidewalk and stumble. And when singing as really loud, we are most likely to go out of tune or find that we can't get off the last note.

Most well-known singers of today are singing too loud and too hard. Don't use them as a role model.

Recently I was in an Office Depot, and I commented to the young clerk that the music in the store was really ugly. I particularly noticed some female, belting no known vowel, flat. 'That's Christina Aquilera,' he said. 'I don't like her either.'