When I turned 50 I resolved to set myself one new challenge every year from then on. I dont go for resolutions as such but am determined to add at least one skill or experience to my repertoire on an annual basis so that my world expands rather than diminishes as time goes by.
A few of the challenges Ive taken on in over a decade since hitting my half century include getting a dog to get over my fear of all creatures canine. My lovely Labrador Cuba will be ten in February. There was the year I decided to learn to sing because I so want to belt out my favourite songs but cant bear the sound of my own voice. My lessons reaped only modest improvement but at least I can sing Happy Birthday in tune these days. One year I did Spanish evening classes and although I cant hold a proper conversation in Spanish I can reliably inform you that berenjenas and zanahorias are two of my favourite vegetables. Aubergines and carrots in case your Spanish isnt quite as fluent as mine!
Over three years I wrote three novels and when I decided to take a break from fiction I signed up to do a B.A. Arts and Humanities at Londons Birkbeck University on a part-time basis (to make up for dropping out of college first time around when I was 17). Three years down, one to go.
I was discussing new challenges at a party the other night with a recently retired property lawyer. Hes taken to giving swimming lessons since stopping being a solicitor and he specialises in teaching the crawl and the butterfly. He pointed out a woman in the room who has mastered the butterfly under his tuition and now undulates beautifully. I was sorely tempted to sign up as Im not a great swimmer, but the truth is that Im a bit of a princess about getting my hair wet unless its under the shower.
This year Ive decided to keep my challenge/s on a small scale. My interest in Wagner has been piqued by an art history course on Vienna around 1900, and the great influence he had on the painters, sculptors and other artists at the time. Ive tended to avoid Wagner on the basis of it being too heavy and too long. But by the end of 2014 I shall have listened to all 4 operas of The Ring Cycle thats 16 hours of it. And I will then have an opinion as to whether its as wonderful as my opera-buff friends say.
My sub-challenge involves pastry. I dont know why but I have spent my entire life avoiding cooking pastry even though I absolutely love cooking. I think Ill start with ready-made but hopefully Ill end the year with a flourish of my very own pastry mix.
My final word on challenges is that I dont beat myself up if I fail (still cant sing properly, still cant speak Spanish, but no longer fear dogs). For me its the giving it a go that counts.
Have a happy New Year. And a challenging one, too....
Read Linda Kelsey's previous blogs here: The Age of Unreason.
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