What's next?
Sep. 22nd, 2011 10:26 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
pegkerrNow that I'm thinking about this, it's instructive to look back at this post I made back in 2003, about making a life list/bucket list. Here's an excerpt:
Study a martial art
I was right when I wrote that post: devoting myself to an item on the list DID require a drastic reshaping of my life. With karate, that reshaping worked really well for a long time. Now it's time to think about whether I want to reshape my life in new ways. I note that the next item on this list is one I've actually been thinking more and more about lately. Number one problem: cost. I could use Fiona's violin, which she left at home, I suppose, but she says it's even too small for her now. Which means it would be REALLY small for me. So that means renting one, except I really can't afford to do so. Or pay for lessons. And...commitment. Do I really want to do this? Do I want to put in the work? I LOVE Irish music. Does that mean I want to actually buckle down to learning how to do it? Where would I play?
*ponders*
Anyone know anyone locally here in the Twin Cities who teaches gaelic fiddle?
More suggestions for the bucket list, friends list? What might a fify-one year old woman who is trying to stretch herself and continue to be interesting and adventuresome consider exploring?
If I'm really serious about doing this, it means that if I put something on the list, I mean to be really determined about wanting to do it. Some considerations: I am, perhaps, a bit more limited because I am starting later in life than Zora and John Goddard did, and some things you just can't do in life if you start too late (I'm too old, physically, for example, to become a master gymnast). And some things I might think would be cool, theoretically, but I don't really want to do them, and so there is no reason to put them down. Fly an airplane, or win an Olympic medal comes to mind.I hereby ceremoniously draw a line through the top item on the 2003 list:
But if I really mean to do this, and address anything I might put down really seriously, then who knows? I might really re-shape drastically the direction of my life.
Life List - first draftGraduate from collegeGet graduate degreeMarry, have childrenWrite a book and get it published
Study a martial art (which one? How do I decide how proficient should I be before I can check this one off the list?)
Learn how to play Gaelic fiddle
Become proficient in French
Learn how to fire a gun
Run a marathon
I was right when I wrote that post: devoting myself to an item on the list DID require a drastic reshaping of my life. With karate, that reshaping worked really well for a long time. Now it's time to think about whether I want to reshape my life in new ways. I note that the next item on this list is one I've actually been thinking more and more about lately. Number one problem: cost. I could use Fiona's violin, which she left at home, I suppose, but she says it's even too small for her now. Which means it would be REALLY small for me. So that means renting one, except I really can't afford to do so. Or pay for lessons. And...commitment. Do I really want to do this? Do I want to put in the work? I LOVE Irish music. Does that mean I want to actually buckle down to learning how to do it? Where would I play?
*ponders*
Anyone know anyone locally here in the Twin Cities who teaches gaelic fiddle?
More suggestions for the bucket list, friends list? What might a fify-one year old woman who is trying to stretch herself and continue to be interesting and adventuresome consider exploring?
(no subject)
Date: 2011-09-22 04:05 pm (UTC)There are lots of different kinds of Celtic Fiddle--different traditions and sub-traditions and different playing styles from several different countries. It's been a dream of mine to learn the Cape Breton tradition, but money and logistics have always prevented it.
I just found out that Cape Breton fiddler Kimberley Fraser is offering online fiddle lessons, which I'm going to look into as soon as I get my fiddle repaired. There are probably other resources for other styles, if you'd rather start with another tradition.