It is fantastic you are trying, not quitting and enjoying the process (kind of). It is hard not to be able to do something, especially in front of others. I didn't start to upland bird hunt until my 40's. Never exposed to hunting of any kind, never held a gun. I loved watching the dogs however and wanted to be a part of the whole experience. So, I tried. Recently, I just ordered a shirt to wear while grouse hunting. It says: I CAN'T SHOOT - My dog made me get this shirt. I will wear it but I won't ever stop trying. . . my bird dog will just have to suffer and give me dirty looks when I miss.
You are embarrassed by missing 14 straight ducks. How about missing 25 pheasants on a driven shoot? My only excuse is that they were higher than I was used to but I am reminded of tne definition of insanity: 'Doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting a different result'.
I started taking xc skiing seriously 8years ago, now have done a few Korte’s with self respectable times. I enjoy it so much I help teach kids when I can. And… Roller skiing intimidates me like nothing before in my life. As always your message is spot on, and thank you for your ability to translate frustration into inspiration.
I’ve spent thousands of hours roller-skiing, and it still terrifies me. Soft boot with no support, loose heel, 3’ of ski to catch two carbide tipped poles on, and stubby wheels that make small cracks look like retaining walls (twigs, even the small ones, are my worst enemy… that and cattle guards in New Mexico, and mean dogs in Michigan. There are stories there). That being said, keep it up and try to keep your knees clean! It’s the best training for skiing after the snow melts, with hill bounding a close second for intensity training, and I’ve got a new love/hate relationship to the Ski Erg… a real ass kicker.
Learning something new and falling on your face when you get older is really good for your soul. I learned to ride a motorcycle around the time I turned 60 and at 66 I’m riding dirt bikes and doing a lot of adventure riding. Definitely falling involved when you learn to ride dirt
I do disappoint myself. But most often I am able to laugh and say, "THAT was a classic Sarah." I seldom hurt anyone else. I guess I'm careless about the little things of daily life. I'm glad I can laugh at myself. My outlook is "know thyself". I'm coming 73 and I can still work hard. Help others, try something new. If you were to look at my resume, you'd think I couldn't hold a job. But I have decades of work in the wilderness of numerous countries. I'll think, "Don't ever hide what you don't know or aren't acquainted with." It's easier if I show someone I'm an empty slate. I have to admit I haven't learned a new sport in a long time. I admire you so much. Go, baby, go.
One of the best people in my life is someone I met through partner dance, which he was doing, and I quote, because *he wanted to do something he sucked at*.
He's still not a great dancer, but he's an incredible member of the community, and my life would be worse if he'd been less willing to take that risk for himself. Brave shit, but it pays off.
You lit my brain up! Growing up a fat kid this resonates with me. Tumbling in grade school gave me nightmares.🙃 At an acceptable body weight now I still fight the psych of it. Thank you for sharing this.
You had a full audience and still persisted. I find that admirable. I cook in my kitchen (alone) and can promise you my failures are never witnessed! But I continue to hone my skills. Keep it up Hank.
Brene Brown has a great podcast on this, which she calls the FFT's, or Fucking First Times. They are, indeed, brutal. But also the key to most everything.
I listened to this book on tape during a road trip some 20 years age, and this paragraph always stuck with me. Just nails it. I just turned 60, and try my best to embrace change every day!
“Arne and I, over the last few years, had been taken up with concern and care for aging relatives and friends, and from them I had learned that there are good and bad ways to grow old. The details differ in each case, but the bad ways have a number of similarities: a rigid, gripping conservatism, leading into a fearfulness of new things, new people, new places, and the reluctance to leave a way of life that worked at forty-five but does not work any longer. The good ways to grow old all include a frame of mind that welcomes change and new beginnings and a talent for letting go.” -- Sue Hubbell - Waiting for Aphrodite.
I do a lot of crafts, some of them well. Once I was showing a friend a quilt I made, and she said, "Is there *anything* you can't do well?" I pointed out that if I did something poorly, I wasn't going to tell people about it: "Hey, look at this painting, I really sucked at it!" She got that look of understanding; she realized that I'm not always perfect. This made me grateful -- the pressure to be perfect is awful.
If you get “board”, get this one. Totally changed my snowboarding. And yes, they’re both helpful in reestablishing your balance. This one is an order of magnitude tougher. So I generally recommend the one above, first. I’m 75, BTW
I grew up in Wisconsin and skating was definitely a thing in at least one middle school gym class. I spent the time in the slightly-less-freezing ice hut and eventually figured out how to push myself with one leg and steer with the other, but I never did get the legs-sliding-past-each-other thing.
And wait wait wait - rollerskiing? What on earth? I have never heard of such a thing. You are very brave!
When you stop learning, you stop living. One thing that helped me a lot taking up sporting clays a few years ago was setting small, short term goals: double digits, then shoot 25/50, then clear one stand, then beat Ernie...It gives you small victories that really keep you going. If you are always chasing excellence or perfection, it is too easy to get discouraged.
When I started, I was definitely the worst shooter at my club, but the other members were super supportive and helpful and not judgy at all. I just shot a tournament a couple weeks ago and came in first in my class.
I'm looking forward to hearing about your first race entry, then your fist placement, then your first win...
It is fantastic you are trying, not quitting and enjoying the process (kind of). It is hard not to be able to do something, especially in front of others. I didn't start to upland bird hunt until my 40's. Never exposed to hunting of any kind, never held a gun. I loved watching the dogs however and wanted to be a part of the whole experience. So, I tried. Recently, I just ordered a shirt to wear while grouse hunting. It says: I CAN'T SHOOT - My dog made me get this shirt. I will wear it but I won't ever stop trying. . . my bird dog will just have to suffer and give me dirty looks when I miss.
You are embarrassed by missing 14 straight ducks. How about missing 25 pheasants on a driven shoot? My only excuse is that they were higher than I was used to but I am reminded of tne definition of insanity: 'Doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting a different result'.
I started taking xc skiing seriously 8years ago, now have done a few Korte’s with self respectable times. I enjoy it so much I help teach kids when I can. And… Roller skiing intimidates me like nothing before in my life. As always your message is spot on, and thank you for your ability to translate frustration into inspiration.
I’ve spent thousands of hours roller-skiing, and it still terrifies me. Soft boot with no support, loose heel, 3’ of ski to catch two carbide tipped poles on, and stubby wheels that make small cracks look like retaining walls (twigs, even the small ones, are my worst enemy… that and cattle guards in New Mexico, and mean dogs in Michigan. There are stories there). That being said, keep it up and try to keep your knees clean! It’s the best training for skiing after the snow melts, with hill bounding a close second for intensity training, and I’ve got a new love/hate relationship to the Ski Erg… a real ass kicker.
Learning something new and falling on your face when you get older is really good for your soul. I learned to ride a motorcycle around the time I turned 60 and at 66 I’m riding dirt bikes and doing a lot of adventure riding. Definitely falling involved when you learn to ride dirt
I do disappoint myself. But most often I am able to laugh and say, "THAT was a classic Sarah." I seldom hurt anyone else. I guess I'm careless about the little things of daily life. I'm glad I can laugh at myself. My outlook is "know thyself". I'm coming 73 and I can still work hard. Help others, try something new. If you were to look at my resume, you'd think I couldn't hold a job. But I have decades of work in the wilderness of numerous countries. I'll think, "Don't ever hide what you don't know or aren't acquainted with." It's easier if I show someone I'm an empty slate. I have to admit I haven't learned a new sport in a long time. I admire you so much. Go, baby, go.
One of the best people in my life is someone I met through partner dance, which he was doing, and I quote, because *he wanted to do something he sucked at*.
He's still not a great dancer, but he's an incredible member of the community, and my life would be worse if he'd been less willing to take that risk for himself. Brave shit, but it pays off.
You lit my brain up! Growing up a fat kid this resonates with me. Tumbling in grade school gave me nightmares.🙃 At an acceptable body weight now I still fight the psych of it. Thank you for sharing this.
You had a full audience and still persisted. I find that admirable. I cook in my kitchen (alone) and can promise you my failures are never witnessed! But I continue to hone my skills. Keep it up Hank.
Brene Brown has a great podcast on this, which she calls the FFT's, or Fucking First Times. They are, indeed, brutal. But also the key to most everything.
I listened to this book on tape during a road trip some 20 years age, and this paragraph always stuck with me. Just nails it. I just turned 60, and try my best to embrace change every day!
“Arne and I, over the last few years, had been taken up with concern and care for aging relatives and friends, and from them I had learned that there are good and bad ways to grow old. The details differ in each case, but the bad ways have a number of similarities: a rigid, gripping conservatism, leading into a fearfulness of new things, new people, new places, and the reluctance to leave a way of life that worked at forty-five but does not work any longer. The good ways to grow old all include a frame of mind that welcomes change and new beginnings and a talent for letting go.” -- Sue Hubbell - Waiting for Aphrodite.
I do a lot of crafts, some of them well. Once I was showing a friend a quilt I made, and she said, "Is there *anything* you can't do well?" I pointed out that if I did something poorly, I wasn't going to tell people about it: "Hey, look at this painting, I really sucked at it!" She got that look of understanding; she realized that I'm not always perfect. This made me grateful -- the pressure to be perfect is awful.
Get one of these:
It’ll change your game.
https://indoboard.com
If you get “board”, get this one. Totally changed my snowboarding. And yes, they’re both helpful in reestablishing your balance. This one is an order of magnitude tougher. So I generally recommend the one above, first. I’m 75, BTW
https://www.si-boards.com
I grew up in Wisconsin and skating was definitely a thing in at least one middle school gym class. I spent the time in the slightly-less-freezing ice hut and eventually figured out how to push myself with one leg and steer with the other, but I never did get the legs-sliding-past-each-other thing.
And wait wait wait - rollerskiing? What on earth? I have never heard of such a thing. You are very brave!
I think the Onion's got you covered Hank:
https://theonion.com/man-finally-good-enough-at-new-hobby-to-understand-how-bad-he-is-at-it/
But, seriously, taking up any new endeavor over 50 takes guts - good for you!
When you stop learning, you stop living. One thing that helped me a lot taking up sporting clays a few years ago was setting small, short term goals: double digits, then shoot 25/50, then clear one stand, then beat Ernie...It gives you small victories that really keep you going. If you are always chasing excellence or perfection, it is too easy to get discouraged.
When I started, I was definitely the worst shooter at my club, but the other members were super supportive and helpful and not judgy at all. I just shot a tournament a couple weeks ago and came in first in my class.
I'm looking forward to hearing about your first race entry, then your fist placement, then your first win...
Juha Mieto, the great Finnish racer, used orienteering and other alternatives to train. There’s more than one way to skin a cat.