Take Beauty Where You Find It

Up to the High School for "Dinner Theater Variety Show. The food was unremarkable except for the seafood lasagna which failed to meet even the lowest of expectations. The lettuce salad was consistent because it contained lettuce - no more, no less.
There was lots of variety in the show. Mostly in the scope of the talent. The high spots were two Monty Python sketches, and a couple of sweet young female singers that wowed the audience with several efforts. There was also a dance/mime effort to DC Talk's "Colored People" that was joyful.
The parents and teachers that encourage the public display of mediocrity are not doing any good for the student and they are hurting the rest of us. It was painful to hear a flat voice reach for the high notes and fail to get within a half note of the target. Over and over, song after song. Karaoke for the tone deaf.
The stand-outs were amazing. The real talent and hard work was obvious.
And parents... The tight, low rider pants may be a fashion statement, but not if your daughter is 60 pounds overweight and the mass of exposed flesh bulges out of the top of the pants in an effort to escape the pressure. I promise, it doesn't impress anyone. Sometimes, it better not to attract attention.

The sweet female young voices of excellence harmonized on Big and Rich's "Live This Life". And it still rings in my ears. If they'd had a record, I'd have bought it. Also, one of them did an a capella rendition of a 17th Century Scottish dirge Culloden's Harvest. Also, a couple of freshmen girls did well on Macavity from "Cats"

Take beauty where you find it. And remember that sometimes you have to finger a lot of coal to find a diamond.

Find your talents and develop them. Display them in public. Develop your passions too, but keep them private if they aren't your talents. The world will thank you for doing both.