
Tanya
At 51 years of age, I still haven't figured out what I want to be when I grow up. Discovering Vocal gives me another outlet to discover my inner voice. I hope my stories bring joy to your day.
The Music is Always With Her
Music has always been a unique approach for artists to express emotion. Whether they are creating or lending their voice to another’s creation, a statement is made with each note conveyed. Place a musician at an event that is already ripe with emotion, and the voice amplifies the love, joy, or excitement of the moment.
It's Not Murder, It's Justice
The first victim was an accident. Mike was having a difficult day so he headed to the bar to unwind. Some people claimed he was an alcoholic, but it wasn’t like he had to have a drink all the time. Only when he had a rough day. His doctor warned him that he shouldn’t consume alcohol when taking his anxiety meds, but he didn’t think his meds worked anyway. Then he noticed the girl. She was sitting at a table alone, looking like she had been stood up. Perfect opportunity to swoop in and save the evening. By the end of the night, they were both laughing and acting like fools, and extremely drunk. Walking her home, they were both a little wobbly. She tripped and fell into him, unexpectedly triggering an outburst of anger. Then she made the mistake of calling him “Mikey” in a whiney tone that made him want to punch her.
Murder in London
I should have known it wouldn’t last. We started to be just a little bit careless. Looking back, I can see the mistakes we made ... spent a little too much money in one place, bought the kids flashy toys, refused to follow too many rules, and made enemies with the wrong people.
Pizza Money
My life is pretty great. My husband and I both teach in a very challenged school district and enjoy making a difference in the lives of our students. We drive nice vehicles; our home in San Francisco is paid for; we have a vacation home in Cocoa Beach; and we don’t have to worry about the size of our paychecks. When I’m asked how we can afford all this on a teacher’s salary, my standard answer is “I made a lucky investment in college.”
The Pre-Spring Scavenger Hunt
Nineteen years in a row, Nikki participated in the city-wide “Pre-Spring Scavenger Hunt.” Nineteen years in a row, she had tracked all the clues and the answers to each clue. Nineteen years, she had won twelve minor prizes, including a pet rock, a necklace, and a gift certificate to the local book store. Her favorite prize though, was the first. The very first clue to the first annual Pre-Spring event took her to the stationery store, where she was awarded a Moleskine journal. It was a simple black notebook with ivory pages sewn in. The little black book was held together with a simple elastic band and had a ribbon to mark your page. Nikki decided right then and there that she would use this notebook to keep track of the rest of the clues, hoping it would help her win the $1000 grand prize that year.