Wow guys and gals! Thank you so much for all your comments
and sound wisdom and also your very polite and well considered suggestions.

I was kind of expecting a hail of bullets and some caustic and negative over-intellectualized verbal personal attacks like you sometimes see here on Mudcat from a few poisonous individuals.
(Or am I tempting fate - and should I duck now?!!)

Anyway I hope they stay away. You have all (or very nearly all so far) been incredibly understanding and encouraging and as I said, very polite. So thank you very much indeed.


I do very much take on board that using a book can become a crutch that you feel you cannot do without (like cigarettes!) and that kicking the habit can become harder and harder the more you rely on it.
I currently have 55 songs and a few monologues in my song book and a wish list that just keeps on growing. So I think I really should try very very hard to make the effort and set myself an initial goal of learning say just 2 favourite songs and then see how it goes once I have got the hang of it.
Here's hoping my 55 year old brain can stir up the old grey cells again!

Thanks everyone.

Chris