venta | What's the life of a man, any more than a leaf ?

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What's the life of a man, any more than a leaf ?

Come January, I shall be making my usual bookkeeping post in which I witter tediously about the extent to which I've kept the previous year's resolutions. However, I have a new plan for making resolutions this year... and I need a bit of assistance.

My aim for this year is to acquire twelve new skills - one per month. They are to be things which could be regarded as useful life skills. Now, I'd love to learn to speak Japanese, or to play decent jazz piano from a fakebook, or to learn to ride a horse, but these are clearly abilities I'm unlikely to acquire in a few weeks.

I've already selected some of the skills I shall attempt to acquire. I don't know how to feed or bath a baby, or change a nappy, and I feel I should be able to (learning this obviously requires me to locate a friend who will lend an appropriately sized baby. Offers welcome.) Most of the basic first-aid skills I've learned have fallen out of my head (or changed in the years since I learned them), so I should brush up in that area. I'd like to learn a few basic guitar chords; I've no delusions of learning to play guitar in a month, but being able to keep up with the three-chord trick should (I hope) be manageable.

However, I'm after suggestions to add to my list. As the guitar should suggest, I'm willing to accept a fairly broad definition of 'life skills'; think of it as a list of abilities which today's urbane sophisiticate could be expected to possess. The skill must be plausibly learnable (or its basics graspable) in a few weeks. And I don't wish to get all SMART, but it should be objectively measurable. There should be some goal (a first-aid certificate, a non-wailing baby, and a quick rendition of a few Status Quo numbers) to demonstrate I've achieved some level of competency.

Does anyone else fancy this for the new year ? If so, shout up and we can get compiling a list from which any takers can select their twelve life skills.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Learn to ride a motorcycle? ;-)

I think learning to ride a motorcycle would be fatal. If the corners didn't get me, the mother would for trying ;)

I think that does constitute a useful skill, and I guess I could take CBT, but since I don't think I'd take it further (due to expense, lack of inclination to buy a bike, etc) I'm not sure whether it's a good plan or not.

I'm happy to teach art skills of various kinds. Pencil drawing, ink pens or acrylic paint are all reasonable options (in roughly increasing order of increasing cost for materials you'd need).

Ooh, that's a very tempting offer. Pen or ink drawing is something I really would like to learn and (despite thinking my drawing is incurably awful) Frances assures me this is rarely the case.

Of course, she says that without seeing an example :)

Cool! Let me know if it makes the list (in fact I'll probably just see it on this journal) and we can arrange timings and stuff.

(Aside: isn't your second sentence there a horrendous abuse of parenthesis? I thought the sentence needed to make sense with the parenthetical part removed?)

(Aside: yes, I realised that a few minutes ago. Sadly your reply has now rendered it ineditable ;)

Alas, I have no longer got a baby of my own (five year olds are just a wee bit different), but I will happily demonstrate & teach all the baby-related items with the aid of either of my nieces, who can easily be ~~kidnapped~~ babysat. ;-)

Thanks! I might well take you up on that!

Learn to juggle a three-ball cascade for 15 seconds or more without a drop, four times out of five. (I can't.) Maybe a bit trivial, but perhaps it would be useful for diverting a six-year-old?

Make a will, if you haven't? (Poo, I meant to do this in November while Will Aid was in progress, but it went completely out of my mind. Were I to die today my estate would be worth very conisderably under £125k - in fact, it would be worth below £0k - but it's still something I want to do.)

Learn to swim, if you can't? (I can't - well, I swam 25 metres once, but normally I can barely swim ten.)

I think the will is a good idea, though it's not really a skill as such, so doesn't come under my heading. I should do it, though.

Juggling and swimming are both excellent suggestions, of exactly the kind I wanted, though as it happens they're both things I can do.

You could take some suggestions from this list someone once cooked up (hetero-male-centric in places) or Heinlein.

Or even a de-Americanised version of Esquire, for that matter.

I kind of faintly disapprove of lists that imply that if someone can't do something then they're a failure, or not a Complete Human Beling, but conversely I like your mix-and-match pick-twelve-to-suit-your-needs approach.

The quotation from Heinlein is something which caught my attention some years ago, and is written into my Commonplace book. I did consider taking it as a list to work through during the year, but figured a lot of them would be hard to organise.

I'd rather not get into fighting unless unavoidable, and I'm not sure many of my friends would be willing to die just to check whether I was comforting or not ;)

how about a 3 beat wave with poi?

KentwellRichard taught me that at your birthday beach party last year!

It's a great idea, and I totally approve. Personally, I figure I'll need to learn a lot of new skills come February in any case (e.g. working knowledge of Amharic, how to navigate in Addis, how to cook using only filtered water, how not to catch any tropical diseases), so I'm not going to commit to anything, but I'd also suggest -

transport related - navigate a strange city on foot, change a flat tire, etc.
cooking related - prepare a whole chicken, gut a fish, skin a rabbit, etc.

Yes, it sounds like you're going to be living a full, exciting life with a steep learning curve as it is! Adding extra challenges is probably overdoing it a little :)

Changing a tyre is a great one (though I have done it before).

I like the cooking ones too - I can skin rabbits, but my fish-gutting skills are abysmal. Roasts are things I have very rarely taken on, so practising roast dinners is another good one for the list.

<looks thoughtfully at your subject line>

I recognise it, but the question is whether you got it from the Steeleye Span song...

I don't know a Steeleye Span version of the song I'm quoting, but then I know very little SS. I don't have a recording of it, I just know it from people singing it in folk clubs and the like.

If you look in the churchyard, there you will see
Those that have withered, and fell from the tree...

Cheery little number ;)

They so often are.

Sounds like an excellent idea. I'm not going to try to participate myself, but for the sake of those who do, how about learning a few basic DIY skills? The goals could be a straight shelf, a non-dripping tap, etc. Simple stuff easily learnt from sites like this, but dead handy. Perhaps some ambitious cooking projects, too? Like Beef Wellington or home-baked bread?

Nice - I had considered plumbing specifically as something I could do with learning about. I'll take on most minor household DIY, but plumbing is a closed book to me. And something I feel I should learn rather than launch into, since the possibilities for calamity as quite sizeable!

Cooking projects are tricky ones. If I elect Beef Wellington, then it's easy to make it once and tick it off 'done'. The thing is, any idiot can follow a recipe, so making it once isn't really learning much. I'd have to make it a number of times, I think, until I felt comfy with it, could do it without references books, and mess about with variations. Which might be a bit excessive on the Wellington front.

Bread, though, is a good idea. I did do a bit of bread-experimentation last year, and the results were 'ok'. Bread is something which lends itself much better to repeated efforts, and I did mean to re-visit it after last year's attempts.

Now I can help with this. There are a number of elements to plumbing. Cutting and jointing various types of pipe or tubing, methods varying according to the material. Then there are applications of the learnt techniques to actual installations. Did you have a property in mind to practice on? He asked innocently.

W

My mum would be delighted to talk you through Bread making for an afternoon or something..she wuvs you..

Your mother is clearly a person of little discrimination ;)

Though I have the theory of breadmaking - I grew up in a house where bread was turned out in batches every couple of weeks. It's just the practise I need!

I think your plumbing may be slightly advanced - I was more thinking of fixing dripping taps than sweating lead/copper joints!

Maybe you could recommend a suitable approach to learning the basics needed for ordinary household everyday crises ?

I don't know how to feed or bath a baby, or change a nappy, and I feel I should be able to (learning this obviously requires me to locate a friend who will lend an appropriately sized baby. Offers welcome.)

Well, given you're giving your flist 12 month's warning, I guess by the end of the year this one could be achievable...

How's your oenology? I know you have developed ale quaffing^Htasting to a reasonable degree, but what about wines? Not wine snobbery, but surely an urbane sophisticate could at least be expected to know what grapes they prefer and what will go well with what sorts of food? And you can presumably get some enjoyment out of the learning process itself. :)

Growing your own veg? There's a goal in that inasmuch as growing, cooking, and eating it. And it's at least somewhat useful.

And I was sorely tempted to suggest poledancing, but more for the amusement value than anything else, but I'm probably not far enough away to avoid getting slapped. :)

Ignoring the pole aspect, learning a new style of dancing should be an achievable and satisfying skill, if not exactly a new one given your rapper exploits.

Learning a couple of origami shapes to amaze and delight people - I know I'm impressed by anyone who can actually fold paper into anything more than a basic paper aeroplane. (Aside: livejounal spellcheck thinks that should be 'airplane' and I'm not convinced although it's now got me doubting my own spelling!)

How about half a dozen swearwords in Klingon, Latin, and other obscure/defunct languages?

I do do other styles of dancing besides rapper, and I've come to the conclusion that for any dancing done in couples, I've got the basics of 'following' to the extent that with a good partner I can more or less fudge it.

Dancing would otherwise be top of the list. In my view everyone should be able to dance as part of a couple, in some style or other. Not to demonstration standard, but just enough to have a little fun if there's some spare music.

I think I'll pass on the pretentious swearing, but origami is a good idea I wouldn't have thought of. Stick to your guns: it's aeroplane.

Well, given you're giving your flist 12 month's warning, I guess by the end of the year this one could be achievable...

:-)

I did go to a poledancing lesson once, as part of a hen-night. Last time I encountered a pole (at a morris-dancing weekend, where there were zombie pole-dancers) I appeared to have forgotten it all.

I suspect you're right about the wine-tasting being a prerequisite for urbane sophistication, but I have very good reason for avoiding it. At present, I cheerfully drink whatever Tesco is flogging at half price and enjoy it. Developing Tastes and Opinions tends to result in the purchasing of more expensive wines, so I'll stick with ignorance for now :)

Re the riding - breaks down into an acheivable goal of 'be able to manage a sole charge rising trot'. I'm happy to teach and facilitate for around 20 gold coins. You're a quick learner. I can also hook you up with a new form of dance for 5 gold coins. And the first aid if you'd like.
Other suggestions- not necessarily limitted to you since you're already very practical.

-boil an egg
-change a plug
-change a fuse
-do a rubix cube
-plaster a wall
-clean an over
-cut down or prune a tree
-learn and perform a song
-learn a shakespeare speech
-drive a minibus
-capture a hamster on the loose
-Talk down a toodler
-make a real sausage (ask ducttape_geek)
-build a fire from scratch
-build a desktop pc from scratch
-learn to use a weapon or do a self-defense class.
-greet someone in 10 languages

I'll have more and will be posting this to another com if thats ok..

I've also stuck this on my LJ and in TheLadiesLoos seeking more ideas!

I used to be able to do a Rubik's cube. Don't think I can any more, though, because it was very much a 'learned' skill with me. I don't have the spatial awareness to solve it properly.

I am vaguely alarmed at the idea you think it might be necessary to put'boil an egg' on the list of anyone over the age of about 10!

Actually - boil an egg has been voted multiple times running in the Times as one of the most contentuous skills that requires a huge flexibility of method! (also, most 10 yr olds aret allowed to cook these days!)

From which we deduce that Times readers are flippin' useless round the kitchen!

And why does it require flexibility of method ? There are various different ways to do it, but so long as I end up with a boiled egg why does it matter how I achieved that ?

I take it you can (under most conditions) work out which way is north without a compass?

Er... no. Not unless the sun is out.

Someone taught me how to find North from the stars this summer, but I'm afraid I've forgotten. I know it involved two of the stars in the tail-end of the Plough.

we have a wriggly

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we have a wriggly <ljuser="scarysaxon"> who is in cloth nappies- happy to explain and demo. then you can have a go! Will have a large pot of tea on backup to steady your nerves.

Also recommend learning how to naalbind (make socks with single bodkin needle), or can you make fire with a flint and steel?

I'm intrigued about the socks!

I assume (since it wasn't specified otherwise) that

bopeepsheep's niece offered above wears disposable nappies, so looks like I can get a range of experience in! (Though only a complete range if I can find someone to lend a boy as well, I fear...)

But I'd like to take you up on the offer, please. Where are you these days ? Somewhere Londonish ?

Yes, we are in Walton-on-Thames. Email me at *myljusername*at ntlworld dot com,. and I'll send you address/phone numbers. it's easy to get to us via the m25 (j13 a30) or we are 30 mins from waterloo. Having said that we also come to oxford every now and then and are due another visit sometime soon, so would be happy to meet you there too!

My much better two thirds suggests learning to walk on heels. I don't know if this is one you've already mastered, but I suppose you could always aim for an extra inch or two if you have...

Further suggestions.

Learn to make a fire. From coal or wood in the grate, and from wood in the great outdoors.

Child care practice will be available from early March if you can make your way to Haarlem.

Learning to dance *something* is entirely feasible in a month, but you know that already.

Learn to take a good photograph.

Sounds like a fun idea, I'm interested in joining in (and there's about 5 minutes left before new year).

Hi, I followed over from ach's journal, so forgive me if I mention skills you've already acquired:

Conversational skills in semaphore, morris code, sign language, or braille?

Cook every recipe in a cookbook (a la biography Julie & Julia, though that might take more than a month (it took her a year). Maybe just prepare a multi-course dinner for a party of eight?

Learn a new programming language and write something more complicated than "Hello World" or build a website?

I'm partial to learning a new style of dance: I gather you do morris and basic ballroom - what about argentine tango? As a goal, being able to go to a club and dancing all night?

Do you sew? My first project was a victorian ball gown, from the underwear out (including a hoopskirt), everything but the shoes, gloves, and corset. Maybe a complicated halloween costume?

Pottery? Can you throw a pot?

Whittling? Carve a wooden animal or toy? Or carpentry and build a bookcase or hutch? Or something like habitat for humanity and build a house.

Do you knit/crochet/weave/embroider/quilting? Can you make a sweater, hat and mittens, an afghan, a sampler? Cross-stitch is fairly straightforward.

Photography? Not sure about the goal.

Build a sand sculpture?

Caligraphy? Or maybe illuminate a document? Your birth certificate or a wedding certificate or something? A diploma?

Read the bible/koran/darwin/nietzche?

Swim a mile in under 20mins? Or the channel?

Brew beer? Ferment wine? Whiskey?

Climb whatever mountain one would climb in the UK? (Where I live it would be Half Dome).

Write and direct a play (one of my friends does this for her church)

Balloon animals?

Play a musical instrument like a whistle, harmonica, or bones?

Flip and sheer a sheep?

Harvest honey?

Teach someone else any of the above?

Do the splits? A handspring? A cartwheel? (I never learned)

Skate backwards?

Snowshoe?

Write your memoires? Write your grandmother's?

Look at every fesible planet through a telescope? (More than a month, probably)

Blimey, that's quite a list! Some really good suggestions in there - though I have no idea how in the UK I'd (for example) learn to sheer a sheep!

I've nearly got my list of 12 together, but I think those suggestions will help finish it off. Thanks :)

Edited 2009-01-03 11:24 (UTC)

See, I wouldn't know either, except one of my friends got an animal sciences degree from UCDavis (she works at a stables, with horses) and "flipping a sheep" was on the final. It's a mental image that stuck with me. And Andy has (I know they're not his) sheep. I always figured that access to the little buggers was the biggest limiting factor.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

What's the life of a man, any more than a leaf ?

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