“In theory there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice there is. ” – Yogi Berra

My knees and voice were trembling as I stood in front of what felt like a firing squad.  In truth it was thirty of the harshest, meanest and least constructive critics I’ve ever had to face (you couldn’t pay me enough to go back to 7^th grade).  My voice hit 8 octaves as I recited the first line of Rugyard Kipling’s classic poem “If”.  As I got to the second line my voice was still fluctuating, but my head was now firmly pointed at the floor and my voice was so soft that nobody could hear me.  The hours of practice in front of the mirror were now going down the drain.  I couldn’t wait for the tortuous ordeal to be over.  ”If you can talk with crowds…” – oh the irony.

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