I finally had a chance to see the Oscar-winning film Coda. I knew that it was described as a heartwarming story—one in which deaf actors played a number of the principal roles, including Troy Kotsur, who took home the prize for Best Supporting Actor. I expected that it would shine a light on a community that has largely been ignored by Hollywood. But what I didn’t anticipate was that singing—and one of the principal character’s love of singing—would play such a central role in the story. I won’t spoil what happens for anyone who hasn’t seen the film yet, but suffice to say this teenage girl can sing. Really sing. The kind of singing that can touch your heart and make you cry.
Singing is one of those talents that, yes, you can get better at with practice. In some cases, it may be a hidden talent that just needs to be encouraged. But I confess: I can’t really sing. And I wish that I could. Because I love music. And I know how powerfully—how deeply—a beautiful singer can touch the lives of others. And if I could? I suspect I’d want to make a career out of it, devoting myself to making and performing music.
When I was in middle school, I was part of the school choir, performing in a handful of seasonal concerts with my classmates. But I never thought it would be anything more. When I was in grade school, I often used to draw houses and other buildings, imagining that maybe one day I could be an architect and build things. But then the daunting reality of advanced math—and my lack of talent—put an end to that dream, although I continue to love architecture.
What about you? What talent or career do you wish you had? As you can see, I’m combining these two because successful careers typically draw on talent (along with passion, hard work and luck). Maybe you’re one of the lucky ones who has been able to combine your talent with your career. Or maybe you’re on a path right now to realizing your talent and putting it to good use. Please don’t be shy about sharing that either. As always, I look forward to learning what you’re thinking and for the America, America community to hear from each other.
I have done most of what I dreamed about - politics, teaching at college level, being a clergy person, and researching history. However, two wishes or dreams have yet to come about. I am a "closet" author - writer of short stories and poems that only a few have seen. I'm good at writing. I want to be published. The second wish is completely outside my wheel house. I want to create an after school program where kids can find where their skills, hopes, and dreams can take them.
I too love singing & music. I grew up watching old movies on tv, many of which were musicals with lots of singing and dancing. It looked like so much fun that I asked my mother if I could take tap dancing lessons. Her answer was an emphatic “no.”
When I was 12 my school held auditions for an all girls chorus. I knew I didn’t have any real singing talent, but I hoped I could manage to sing well enough to get by because I loved it so much.
The auditions were held in a classroom with the music teacher accompanying each girl on a piano as we stood up and sang a few bars. When it was my turn, I sang so badly and knew I sang badly that the teacher stopped before I finished, and I burst into tears.
As I desperately tried to stop crying the music teacher signaled me to come up and talk to her. She whispered that I could be in the girls chorus if I promised to just pretend I was singing by mouthing the words. I promised her that no actual sound would escape my lips and voilà, I was officially a member of the girls chorus.
I went to all of the practices & performances and mouthed the words as I had promised. The teacher never said another word to me about it and although the girls right next to me had to have known I wasn’t uttering a sound, none of them said anything about it.
I was allowed to indulge my fantasy that I could sing because of the kindness of others, but I doubt that would be the case today. Sadly, kindness has taken a back seat to criticism & bullying. It’s as if our entire society has been infected with mean, selfish, money-grubbing, bullying, self-indulgent people. Even worse, I fear we are normalizing that kind of behavior.
I’m sorta with you, Steven. Singing is a wonderful skill I wish I had too. No one in my family could sing; Mom warbled like Edith Bunker and Dad croaked like Michigan J. Frog. However we can assist others who can sing and enjoy their sounds just the same!
I have a Masters Degree in Child Development, with a minor in Experimental Psychology. I had grown up dreaming of being a psychologist, a therapist helping people, because I am a good listener; and I think I understand people really well. However, in graduate school I decided I didn't want to get a PhD and spend the rest of my life in an "ivory tower". So, I left with a Masters Degree, with the goal to go out and end poverty, fix the racism problem and end the Viet Nam war. I did have a fulfilling career as a research psychologist, culminating in the dream job of Assistant Director of Research at Sesame Street. However, in the 1980's the government stopped funding educational television; and I was subsequently a victim of downsizing. But I did live my dream for a while; and it's a time I will always treasure. I thought about getting an MSW and becoming a therapist through that route. But it didn't seem practical, or feasible, to stop working for 3 years and pursue the degree. So, I "sold my soul" as I often say, went to paralegal school at a major university and became a senior real estate paralegal at a major corporation, doing interesting and challenging attorney level work. However, as I approach 8 years happily retired, I love that I am again in the non-profit, helping people world, as a volunteer, which is where I think I always belonged.
Very interesting to read this comment. I've been a practicing psychologist for just about 30 years. But if I'd have known such a thing existed (if it did) when I was considering graduate school, I might have pursued a Master's in Public Health, or training in (health care) economics. Given the "social determinants of health" factors being recognized these days, and economic factors limiting access to care for underserved people, especially in mental health care, I think those could have been very meaningful career choices; potentially so for many in addition to one-at-a-time care delivery in which we're still steeped.
CODA. Children of a Lesser God, Broadway 1980. Working in NYC in those years. ADA was passed and management at a company was given a lecture on impact of ADA on the business. The “trainer” said, “when you look at a resume and you see. Gadaulette [(sp?)] College on a resume do you know what to do?” The implication was to be aware of avoiding any conditions that would require “accommodation” when hiring.
So I wished then my talent was courage to change companies but I was one of 4 women in management in those days and had rent to pay. Now? I’m just delighted to have survived.
I wish others did not have to go through the slings and arrows.
Hope comes in many colors . So I think a talent for hope would be a good one to be gifted at a young age. Any career will do after that. Johann Hari’s “Lost Connections” is a good book on an allied topic. So the stage I believe if I was honest might have been a secret karaoke of the mind.
Well, I'd love to be a National Geographic Photographer--by day. So much of the world to see and share. And then I'd be a band groupie by night and follow my favorite bands around all over the world...sigh...am I too old to still be a band groupie?
Oh my gosh, when I went to church I would lip sync! If I had to do things over, I would go to culinary school. I love to create dishes, some I post to my blog. Which reminds me, time to write a recipe I did this weekend!
An artist & an author. I have always been able to draw but only copy, nothing original.When young and at home, my bedroom walls were covered with my drawings to the point one could not see the wallpaper print. My dad saved a lot of them, and they are now in a box in the closet. But no one ever told me that could be an occupation.
I always liked to write, essays, term papers or answers to columns like this. I have written a novel that I think is pretty good, but I'll be darned if I can write that awful , required query letter with its 4 specific paragraphs and first sentence "hook."
Then, there's that piano just sitting there holding children's pictures . . .
I have done most of what I dreamed about - politics, teaching at college level, being a clergy person, and researching history. However, two wishes or dreams have yet to come about. I am a "closet" author - writer of short stories and poems that only a few have seen. I'm good at writing. I want to be published. The second wish is completely outside my wheel house. I want to create an after school program where kids can find where their skills, hopes, and dreams can take them.
We can all sing ... in the car by ourself. 🙂
Sound Design. I always thought being a foley artist would be cool.
Play the piano by ear....
I too love singing & music. I grew up watching old movies on tv, many of which were musicals with lots of singing and dancing. It looked like so much fun that I asked my mother if I could take tap dancing lessons. Her answer was an emphatic “no.”
When I was 12 my school held auditions for an all girls chorus. I knew I didn’t have any real singing talent, but I hoped I could manage to sing well enough to get by because I loved it so much.
The auditions were held in a classroom with the music teacher accompanying each girl on a piano as we stood up and sang a few bars. When it was my turn, I sang so badly and knew I sang badly that the teacher stopped before I finished, and I burst into tears.
As I desperately tried to stop crying the music teacher signaled me to come up and talk to her. She whispered that I could be in the girls chorus if I promised to just pretend I was singing by mouthing the words. I promised her that no actual sound would escape my lips and voilà, I was officially a member of the girls chorus.
I went to all of the practices & performances and mouthed the words as I had promised. The teacher never said another word to me about it and although the girls right next to me had to have known I wasn’t uttering a sound, none of them said anything about it.
I was allowed to indulge my fantasy that I could sing because of the kindness of others, but I doubt that would be the case today. Sadly, kindness has taken a back seat to criticism & bullying. It’s as if our entire society has been infected with mean, selfish, money-grubbing, bullying, self-indulgent people. Even worse, I fear we are normalizing that kind of behavior.
I’m sorta with you, Steven. Singing is a wonderful skill I wish I had too. No one in my family could sing; Mom warbled like Edith Bunker and Dad croaked like Michigan J. Frog. However we can assist others who can sing and enjoy their sounds just the same!
I thought I would be a prima ballerina…
I have a Masters Degree in Child Development, with a minor in Experimental Psychology. I had grown up dreaming of being a psychologist, a therapist helping people, because I am a good listener; and I think I understand people really well. However, in graduate school I decided I didn't want to get a PhD and spend the rest of my life in an "ivory tower". So, I left with a Masters Degree, with the goal to go out and end poverty, fix the racism problem and end the Viet Nam war. I did have a fulfilling career as a research psychologist, culminating in the dream job of Assistant Director of Research at Sesame Street. However, in the 1980's the government stopped funding educational television; and I was subsequently a victim of downsizing. But I did live my dream for a while; and it's a time I will always treasure. I thought about getting an MSW and becoming a therapist through that route. But it didn't seem practical, or feasible, to stop working for 3 years and pursue the degree. So, I "sold my soul" as I often say, went to paralegal school at a major university and became a senior real estate paralegal at a major corporation, doing interesting and challenging attorney level work. However, as I approach 8 years happily retired, I love that I am again in the non-profit, helping people world, as a volunteer, which is where I think I always belonged.
Very interesting to read this comment. I've been a practicing psychologist for just about 30 years. But if I'd have known such a thing existed (if it did) when I was considering graduate school, I might have pursued a Master's in Public Health, or training in (health care) economics. Given the "social determinants of health" factors being recognized these days, and economic factors limiting access to care for underserved people, especially in mental health care, I think those could have been very meaningful career choices; potentially so for many in addition to one-at-a-time care delivery in which we're still steeped.
Lovely story. Thanks for sharing.
CODA. Children of a Lesser God, Broadway 1980. Working in NYC in those years. ADA was passed and management at a company was given a lecture on impact of ADA on the business. The “trainer” said, “when you look at a resume and you see. Gadaulette [(sp?)] College on a resume do you know what to do?” The implication was to be aware of avoiding any conditions that would require “accommodation” when hiring.
So I wished then my talent was courage to change companies but I was one of 4 women in management in those days and had rent to pay. Now? I’m just delighted to have survived.
I wish others did not have to go through the slings and arrows.
Hope comes in many colors . So I think a talent for hope would be a good one to be gifted at a young age. Any career will do after that. Johann Hari’s “Lost Connections” is a good book on an allied topic. So the stage I believe if I was honest might have been a secret karaoke of the mind.
Well, I'd love to be a National Geographic Photographer--by day. So much of the world to see and share. And then I'd be a band groupie by night and follow my favorite bands around all over the world...sigh...am I too old to still be a band groupie?
Oh my gosh, when I went to church I would lip sync! If I had to do things over, I would go to culinary school. I love to create dishes, some I post to my blog. Which reminds me, time to write a recipe I did this weekend!
An artist & an author. I have always been able to draw but only copy, nothing original.When young and at home, my bedroom walls were covered with my drawings to the point one could not see the wallpaper print. My dad saved a lot of them, and they are now in a box in the closet. But no one ever told me that could be an occupation.
I always liked to write, essays, term papers or answers to columns like this. I have written a novel that I think is pretty good, but I'll be darned if I can write that awful , required query letter with its 4 specific paragraphs and first sentence "hook."
Then, there's that piano just sitting there holding children's pictures . . .