To practice or not to practice

While thinking about which songs should go on the next careyoke favorites volume, I realized that I have a rather scary number of songs that have been downloaded for careyoke purposes. However, I tend to buy most (I think all but one of my careyoke-related purchases) songs before they are performed - usually by me (alone or in a group) though I have made purchases for others - rather than after I hear them at the Kid. In fact, Rhymes-with-Scrabble has been the only one to inspire a purchase by me: "Gypsies, tramps, and thieves." (I love it!) So that brings me to the title of this post. Basically, you see, I buy songs so I can "practice" them. Sometimes this practice is more like I-need-to-hear-it-one-time-before-attempting-to-perform-it, but other times, I sit down with laptop on lap and downloaded lyrics and sing away - especially when I'm working on my "harmonies" - yes, I am too wimpy to declare them actual harmonies without scare quotes. Others seem to look down their noses at us practicers. Perhaps careyoke is supposed to be more spontaneous. I don't know. I think just as Jeremy talked about specialists vs. generalists in careyoke, there can also be spontaneists (?) and practicers or something like that. There certainly have been beautiful moments as a result of both at the Kid.