"You sound like a dying cat."

In fifth grade, I started taking choir class. On the first day, our teacher taught us how to sing high notes. I was really excited to be learning this, because I loved singing and had never taken formal lessons, and my singing voice was naturally lower and I always wanted to learn how to sing higher. 

After a few weeks of choir, I was so excited to share my improving singing skills with my friends. During one of our regular 5th grade academic classes, I gathered a bunch of friends in the back of the classroom at our cubbies to show them what I had learned in choir. 

All of a sudden, our teacher yelled to the back of the classroom in an irritated tone, "Whoever is making that horrible noise, please stop! You sound like a dying cat!"

It was clear from her tone that she thought that whoever was making the noise was doing it to be annoying and irritating.

I stopped taking choir after 5th grade, and have never taken the signing lessons that I had always wanted.

Writing this now is actually really helpful for me. Now after all these years, I might actually pursue singing lessons.