I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this here (and I’m far too lazy to look it up in the archives) but I sing bass in a barbershop group and I LOVE it. It’s just four ladies from church with a smidge of musical talent and training and we get together and sing songs put together in the barbershop style (usually we buy them from Sweet Adelines, the female branch of SPEBSQSA). It’s hard, because the harmonies are not your typical ‘thirds’ and you’re always singing a cappella and we even try to memorize and add in a little theatrics every now and again. But ding-dang it’s FUN!!! Something about the way those harmonies hit, and being able to perform without accompaniment, just thrills me to my core. I would join Sweet Adelines myself if it weren’t for the fact that they are so expensive. I know we’re not a perfect group, and I don’t know all the rules for ‘proper’ barbershop singing. But there is something to being able to put something together that sounds good to the average ear. I’m utilizing my talents. I’m putting something good in the world. Hooray!