Self-improvement list.

[tenlittlebullets]

Random list of things I want to learn how to do--many of which haven't been useful in the past hundred years or so...

- Hand-sewing. I have this problem where I can't read or type or surf the internet while I'm listening to music, because it all gets processed by the verbal part of my brain, which is not very good at multitasking. So I need something nonverbal and time-consuming that I can do while I listen to music, and hand-sewing has the benefit of producing things I'd actually wear (unlike knitting)

- Vintage/historical dance. I'm a little leery of ballroom dance--I have no particular desire to learn how to foxtrot--but waltzes and mazurkas and quadrilles would be right up my alley. The only problem is that I have a gigantic embarrassment complex about dancing due to various unpleasant highly public incidents, and I'm generally not very good at it. There is a historical dance society in Paris, but it is quite possible that language barrier + something I'm not good at in the first place = way too embarrassing.

- Fencing! On the one hand, where better to learn it than in France? On the other hand, where am I more likely to feel like a complete dweeb and n00b? Maybe I should wait until I get back to Smith.

- Riflery. Well, maybe I should start with "how to handle a gun without causing anyone serious injury (unless they are jumping you in a dark alley)" and then progress to "how to actually hit what you're aiming at."

- Auto repair. Because it makes me leery to operate heavy machinery without knowing how it works or how to fix it if it gets screwed up, and because I am sick of being one of those girls who don't know shit about cars. (Also: drive stick shift. Might have to enlist brother in this, as father always conveniently forgets he promised to teach me.)

- Speak German. Okay, once upon a time I could sort of speak German. I might as well own up to the fact that I can't anymore, and that if I'm going to learn again I'll have to be taught.

- Sing opera without killing my voice. See "speak German" for history of said skill--I stopped classical voice training when I was eighteen, so, a little over three years ago. I still have a lot of the muscle memory, but my breath support is crap now and I don't want to develop bad habits in the absence of a teacher.

- Cryptography, assembly language, relational databases--oh wait I'm probably going to be learning these things in Paris, never mind.

Comments

[shawk.livejournal.com]

I learned to fence in the Italian style so I'm probably a bit prejudiced, but I find the French style kind of too complicated. Instead of going the most direct way to parry, they have some flourishing crap. ;)

[endofthewest.livejournal.com]

I don't know from fencing, but the parallel to the language style there is kind of hilarious. (In that vein, German-style fencing would consist of throwing your foil aside and busting out a grenade launcher.)

[10littlebullets.livejournal.com]

Actually it's called Mensur and consists of standing a couple feet apart without any armor whatsoever, not moving or maneuvering on pain of being called a pussy for the rest of your life, and hitting your partner in the face with a sword.

True to the language parallel, it apparently has rules and style and such, but all outsiders see is "DUDE YOU'RE HITTING EACH OTHER IN THE FACE AT POINT-BLANK RANGE."

[endofthewest.livejournal.com]

Dude, what. What. That is even better than I imagined. XD!

"Getting hit in the face with a sword builds character!" is probably the most hilariously Teutonic thing I have ever heard of in my life.

[reconditarmonia.livejournal.com]

Oooh, many things that I want to do as well. (Dance, fence, learn German, and, er, actually practice opera sometime. I'm so lazy now that my voice lessons are over, and it's wreaking havoc on my range and technique. I sang "Poor Wand'ring One" and "Je veux vivre" at concerts in May and there's no way I could sing them now without a couple of weeks getting back into it.)

[toi-marguerite.livejournal.com]

I will fence with you! :D I took the class at Smith, which was loads of fun. Depending on the time-committment, I'd be willing to go to the dance classes with you too. <3

[ulkis.livejournal.com]

- Vintage/historical dance. I'm a little leery of ballroom dance--I have no particular desire to learn how to foxtrot--but waltzes and mazurkas and quadrilles would be right up my alley.

I always want to learn when I watch costume dramas, but I always think, who would you go dancing with after you learn them? You need a partner. But hey, if there's a historical dance society in Paris, maybe you could take some private lessons first, then join the sociery.