Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
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personal challenge

take up a hobby that you are no good at.
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(+6, -4)
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People tend to have hobbies at which they excel in order that friends and acquaintances can praise them for their intelligence / fitness / agility / dexterity etc.

My personal hobby is remaining awake as I lie in a horizontal position for hours at a time while balancing a box of chocs on my stomach and a wineglass in one hand and the TV remote in the other. I am very good at this. It would be good for the inner man / woman to find a hobby in which they do not excel naturally and that they need to work at to achieve excellence.

po, Jan 14 2002


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       Juggling was my attempt at this. It remains eligible.
waugsqueke, Jan 14 2002
  

       Tried this a few times (drawing class, watercolor class, etc.) Not so great at it so I give up. Too easily, probably.
TeaTotal, Jan 14 2002
  

       I'm terrible at cooking, but I practice every night, much to the disappointment of my family. But I persevere.
arora, Jan 14 2002
  

       I am terrible at making stink bombs, but I think my experiment is close to completion. Practice makes perfect.
gizmo, Jan 14 2002
  

       then bigger and better gizmo.
po, Jan 14 2002
  

       A big "me, too" on juggling. The yo-yo seems to be beyond my abilities, as well.   

       I'd love to learn to paint. That would be cool. Maybe, someday.
bristolz, Jan 14 2002
  

       I had a go at learning to play the harmonica for a while. I was rubbish at it and gave up. Eating chocolate is a lot more fun and at least it doesn't keep the neighbours awake.
DrBob, Jan 14 2002
  

       I play the tumpet and it doesn't keep the neighbours awake, but probably annoys the heck out of them. I am only learning and not that good, but I can play "Love me tender" over and over - which is nice!
atomic point dexter, Jan 14 2002
  

       aren't some typos embarrassing, apd. what sort of tum pet do you have?
po, Jan 14 2002
  

       personal challenge to Peter, what is your challenge hobby?
po, Jan 14 2002
  

       I was hoping the men of the .5b would rise to the challenge!
po, Jan 14 2002
  

       Cheating death? Now, it won't look as thrilling as it would if you'd allow me the HGH and steroids.
reensure, Jan 14 2002
  

       is getting on with people a hobby?
notripe, Jan 14 2002
  

       notripe/faceache, with you its a crusade!
po, Jan 14 2002
  

       po: A lovely pet kitten called Frank which sits on my tum, he purrs the tunes as I stroke him/her - we aren't sure really.
atomic point dexter, Jan 14 2002
  

       apd - my one eyed fluffy would love your Frank, I know. Really, she was clawed by a sibling and is so sweet.
po, Jan 14 2002
  

       po: I did.
gizmo, Jan 14 2002
  

       I'm sure Frank is so nice because he/she has never had the turmoil of being separated from his/her mum. I think at least one kitten from every litter should have this right.
atomic point dexter, Jan 14 2002
  

       sorry giz, you did what?
po, Jan 14 2002
  

       ? But will she (MUM) thank you in two years (16 year old in kitten years) for this.
arora, Jan 14 2002
  

       [I was hoping the men of the .5b would rise to the challenge!]
gizmo, Jan 14 2002
  

       they failed as per usual. any advance on stinkbombs giz?
po, Jan 14 2002
  

       I'm (frighteningly) in the same boat as [PeterSealy]. Every job I've ever had has lead me to develop a previously unused skill. I don't claim to be good at any of them, but practice them with a complete disregard for the safety of others. This formula makes for an interesting resumé, but ensures I'm rarely bored (if I am, then I know it's time for a new job).   

       Oh, and I'm still posting ideas.
phoenix, Jan 15 2002
  

       My two are pottery and programming, I'm really lousy at both of them (not simultaneously). I've given up programming now - but still trying to make a pot on the wheel with notable lack of success.
madradish, Jan 15 2002
  

       I'm impressed, [PeterSealy]. Nice work. I admire your devil-may-care approach as well, [phoenix]. I think I need to be braver and finally pursue the yo-yo skills full-time.
bristolz, Jan 15 2002
  

       My current challenge is small business accounting. It's so unappealing to me as a way to spend my time and energy that I'm sure I'll never show much aptitude for it. I once had a small side income from selling my own nature photography, and it seemed that I would be able to expand it into a fairly significant sideline. But I killed that venture because of the (very minor) accounting involved. But I'm starting a more serious small business now so I'm going to have to finally bite the bullet.   

       When I was eleven I was miserable at hitting baseballs. Sometimes when I would excel at non-baseball activities, kind adults would seek to encourage me with flattery like, "is there anything you *can't* do?" And my inner response was always "I sure can't hit a baseball." In fact, after the age of eleven I studiously avoided opportunities to embarrass myself with a bat. But when I would dream or daydream about success in another area (getting a date, passing a test, etc.), I would envision myself celebrating the success by knocking a baseball over the fence. This went on for years. Then came the day at age 30 when I found myself in a position from which I could not escape having to hit a baseball. Filled with the dread of certain humiliation, I watched and prayed for what seemed like an hour and a half as the first pitch approached me. The next thing I knew the pitch was no longer approaching, but rapidly dissappearing in a huge, beautiful arc, way out past deep left field and to the fence! And my hands and ears were still reverberating with that wonderfull "crack!" of a ball well-hit. Later, I hit a few more balls, and every hittable pitch went long, some past the home-run line (we didn't have a wall). I was even able to direct them to right, left, and center at will.   

       Maybe that's a testimony to the power of visualisation. Maybe not. But at least it's one instance that proves that some inadequacies can be overcome.
beauxeault, Jan 15 2002
  

       Half-heartedly learning a language has preoccupied me for over a year now. Je ne parle pas Francais.
Redbrickterrace, Jan 15 2002
  

       I've never found a hobby I AM good at, so this is pretty baked.
mrthingy, Jan 15 2002
  

       One day I will overcome the hate that I felt all the way through school for anything remotely sciencey. Does this idea mean we should take up a hobby or an interest that we don't like and can't do, or just can't do? Can I help someone with for example music if someone else explains to me what is the point of having derivatives and integrals?
sappho, Jan 15 2002
  

       Reading music is just a matter of practise. (That's why I can't; I don't practise.) You need some reference material to tell you what the various arcane signs mean, just like you do with calculus, then you keep plugging away at it until it becomes second nature. (Glib explanation courtesy of my mother.)
angel, Jan 15 2002
  

       There's lots of things I've wanted to do, but haven't yet tried. They don't count, I would guess, since I don't really know if they're things I at which I would be no good.

I am really, really bad at learning non-English languages. But I don't want to torture myself with that again.

I'm also really bad at lactating. Don't think practice would improve my skill, however.

Ah - writing letters (as in "correspondence," not as in "A, B, C." Hate it. Don't do it well. Perfect choice.

quarterbaker, Jan 15 2002
  

       Plenty of all those things in 'Futon the Break'. I can't see what your problem is.
angel, Jan 15 2002
  

       Ah, music. Now there's a hobby I suck at. I can write, paint, dance, play poker and various other little skills all within quite acceptable margins, but give me a musical instrument or a microphone and I guarantee that within ten minutes you'll be regretting that the Good Lord ever gave you eardrums. That, of course, is why I'm currently the singer in a band. God knows, you don't want me on guitar.
Guy Fox, Jan 15 2002
  

       hehe Rods.. great line about TD. Too true.   

       Good doctor, the thing about learning the harmonica is, even if you become a master of it, it still sounds like rubbish.   

       So many common layers here. I'm in the same boat as Sealy and phoenix when it comes to new jobs/new skills. I'm right where Rods and angel are with music reading. I've only starting grasping rudiments in the last few years. Long way to go.   

       bris - it's all in the wrist.
waugsqueke, Jan 15 2002
  

       [Rods]: Just remember that the circle of fifths is about vodka. A couple of iterations and you'll know it like the back of your head.   

       [waugs]: Thanks. I'll go practice now.
bristolz, Jan 15 2002
  


 

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