Thursday, December 02, 2010

Advised

My two twenty-something travelmates were giggling one evening in Panama about "things people do when they turn 30." They were pretty funny and I was laughing right up until Nat said, "yeah like suddenly being really into cooking or taking up cycling."

Guilty! I'm actually pretty sure I'm falling right into many of the cliches of getting older. Start expensive hobbies! Run a marathon on your birthday! Spend holidays with friends not family! Date younger boys!

I have yet to go sky diving or buy an SLR and start posting photos of plants and sunsets but...yes, it turns out none of us are really that original eh?

So yes, in the last few months I have picked up two new hobbies and I'm pretty much in love with both of them. I now have a standing Wednesday night date with my friend Darius at the rock climbing gym and my coworker Todd has managed to get me to commit to Thursday lunchtime rides. I give both of these gentleman a lot of credit for introducing me to the concept of "consistency", something I have never really been very good at.

Anyway,I got two bits of coaching advice from these generous and patient fellas-who have been oh so willing to teach me even though I'm totally slowing them down-that were so loaded with real world implications that I nearly laughed out loud.

From Darius as I was stuck on a climbing route after charging up without thinking enough, "you need to slow down. This isn't a race. It's OK to find a comfortable place to rest and plan your next move."

From Todd on rough terrain today, "loosen your grip! The bike knows where it needs to go and if you stop trying to control it, you'll ride smoother."

OK universe, I get it.

3 comments:

NatAttack said...

Hey! For the record, my thirty hobbies were cooking and photos. Cycling came from that
other tall blonde. :) I've become a traveler, so did I pick the most expensive hobby? I should take a page from your book and try to get in shape.

H. Brown said...

okay, there are SO MANY object lessons in daily activity and recreation. i'm continually amazed. but i knew that before i turned thirty, it's just that they don't seem to change, but i keep not learning them, and then going, "oh yeah, that's so right."

{jane} said...

that's so funny.

i'm there with ya chicka!