Last year I decided that I was simply not going to be afraid of junior high student tours anymore. And you know what? I wasn't. I still don't like them - and let it be noted that I am glad some souls are hearty enough, big enough, to love junior high students, becuase I certainly don't - but they don't scare me anymore. High school students are a different story, so this year I am going to think about resolving not to be afraid of them either. And yes I know that thinking about resolving isn't much of a resolution, but have you dealt with high school students on a class field trip to a museum lately? They are evil. They don't care, and if they do care, they are afraid to show it. So they shuffle their feet, look anywhere but at you, don't answer questions, don't contribute to the "conversation," and giggle with each other, giving off the impression that they are indeed laughing at you. And the girls - you just want to tell them that it really doesn't matter so much what they look like, that there is a big world out there if they want to try it, that there are lots of options; and the boys - well, I mainly want to herd them back on the bus and lock them away until they're 37 and hope they learn something about respect for humanity and the natural world in the meantime.
My other resolution is not to be afraid of singing notes over the C above middle C in choir. Ha. I used to be a mezzo - I can totally do this. Why, just today, we warmed up at the G above that! When I was in high school and took voice lessons, I fainted upon hitting the C two octaves above middle C, my voice teacher bravely blocking the trajectory of my head into the piano, and that's the last I heard of that.
