Regrets

[powerdesal]

Warning:  This is definetely not about France or life in France.

I have just been watching a tv prog about (amongst other things) skidoos,  I have never ridden a skidoo but it has always appealed. I then got to to thinking about other things that I have never experienced and am unlikely to ever do. (copious glasses of beverage + depression creep in here !).

Do other members of the forum, who have reached 'a certain age' have regrets about things they have never done and that they are very unlikely to do in their allotted life span?  Things like (eg) hang gliding, aircraft carrier take-off, down hill skiiing, helicopter flying etc etc. These are all things I would like to do but just can't see it happening (without a lottery win).

Discuss. [:D]

[Dog]

Would have loved to bob sleigh but if you are not in the Armed Forces it is expensive.

I regret not winning the lottery - but I guess you have to buy a ticket.

 

 

[mint]

Yes, Steve, I've always wanted to rollerblade.  We went on a holiday to New York and I couldn't get over people using rollerblading as a form of transport.

Then, when I was 50 (yes, you heard right), I spoke to my Cleaning Lady (Woman to Coops) and asked her if I could borrow a pair of her kids' rollerblades to try out in my garden before committing to buying a pair.

She duly brought the rollerblades; they were a tad small but I didn't care.

Then, when I actually went on them, I could barely stand up on my own:  my feet went all over the place!

My OH, bless him, held my arm and led me up and down our front drive (I was clinging to him for dear life).

What really put the kybosh on it was when a friend came past at about the time when I was trying out the rollerblades and said, "Did you get those for your 50th Birthday?"

He'd heard I was 50 from another, mutual friend (and I'd been doing my damndest to keep it quiet) and I felt like a 6-year old being asked if Santa had brought me what I wanted!

After that, I gave the rollerblades back but, to this day, if I could find someone to teach me who has bags of patience and would strap me up with elbow and knee pads, I'd have a go!

[Clarkkent]

Giving up piano lessons because I didn't like the teacher.

[mint]

Clarkkent, you could go back to piano lessons, I promise!

I'm still playing and trying and I absolutely love it.  You'll find a teacher if you put your mind to it.

Me, I could play the piano all day, given a chance.  I don't play well but I could lose myself for hours on end.

DON'T GIVE UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Clarkkent]

[quote user="sweet 17"]

Clarkkent, you could go back to piano lessons, I promise!

I'm still playing and trying and I absolutely love it.  You'll find a teacher if you put your mind to it.

Me, I could play the piano all day, given a chance.  I don't play well but I could lose myself for hours on end.

DON'T GIVE UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[/quote]

Thank you. I know what you say is true, but it is all the lost opportunities to make music in the long years since that I regret.

[cooperlola]

Totally with you Clarkkent.  I bitterly regret that I never stuck at any musical instrument.  I tried the guitar and the clarinet but gave both up before I could get any sort of tune out of them.  When I watch true musicians at work, I so wish I could do what they can. I'd love to be able to play the fiddle.   I don't think my o/h would be very impressed if I took it up now Sweets, even if my newly-wonky right hand could cope! 

Steve : I love your intro' to this thread.  Maybe this is what we should do in Other Topics - warn off those who don't want to discuss stuff outside l'Hexagone.[:)]

[Tony F Dordogne]

I regret not becoming a pro musician when I had the opportunity, was taught to drum by one of the UK's great jazz drummers (and traught to read music, real old fashioned way of teaching drumming) and still play a bit but now only folk stuff. Ho hum, still looking for a folk band locally that needs a percussionist

The other regret was a something I did but I can't do anything at all about - I seriously regret getting married first time round, was the biggest mistake of my life.

[Pierre ZFP]

Like Ol' Blue Eyes sang

Regrets, I have a few

but then again

to few to mention

 

Yeah there are things I would like to have done, or with the luxury of hindsight, done differently but until someone invents that time machine it ain't going to change. So, the way I see it is to make the most of every day and enjoy it.  I'm learning the guitar, badly and slowly but I'm enjoying it. I've taken up skiing again after a break of 30 odd years and loving it.  This year I hope to learn scuba diving,  so always lots of challenges and new experiences to be had.  Take 'em all!!

[Frenchie]

I regret coming back to France.

I wanted to stay in England when I lived there.

And you can't imagine the feeling I have each time I leave England when I visit and it 's time to come back   ..

 

I know, most of you can't understand.

[powerdesal]

''This year I hope to learn scuba diving''

Warm water is best but I don't remember there being an over abundance of that in Lux [:)]

[Weedon]

Like dog, I would love to have a go at bobsleigh.

Visit Leptis Magna.

Sail the Atlantic.

Pop into Barclays Bank just to remind the manager of the day when business was particularly grim and he turned me down for a business loan despite him already having a tight hold on my family j.........s.  Then tell him "Now you know how it feels!"

[Pierre ZFP]

[quote user="powerdesal"]
''This year I hope to learn scuba diving''

Warm water is best but I don't remember there being an over abundance of that in Lux [:)]


[/quote]

Absolutely!  There is a possibility of taking a course in a lake in the North of the country

But I think I will combine it with a holiday to a Greek island [:D]

[powerdesal]

Even the Greek waters are too cold, anything less than 25 deg C is only for looking at or sailing over  [:P]

[Kitty]

[quote user="sweet 17"]  I'm still playing and trying and I absolutely love it.  You'll find a teacher if you put your mind to it.  Me, I could play the piano all day, given a chance.  I don't play well but I could lose myself for hours on end.[/quote]

Snap, Sweet.  I have a keyboard in France and a piano in the UK.  I try not to let a day go by without playing.  It's frustrating that I am not better after all the practice but I am self taught.  The keyboard is recently acquired (second hand from a Forum member) and great fun.  Beethoven set to Techno rhythm is unusual...

Things that I would still like to do:  Do a backpacking trip around South America, including the Mayan temples, the Rio carnival, the Falklands etc. I WILL DO IT (one day).

[Panda]

For all you budding bobsleigners why not come over to the Alps to La PLagne where you can take a 'Taxi-Bob' and hurtle down the olypic run, it's great fun!

[Dog]

Taxi-bob would be fun but would just make me want to do it myself even more.

[just john]

[quote user="Weedon"]

Visit Leptis Magna.

[/quote]

You and me both Weedon, in fact Carthage too, indeed all of the civilised coast of North Africa,
but it ain't over til the fat lady sings (and everything else is done)[Www]

 

[mint]

[quote user="Cathy"][quote user="sweet 17"]  I'm still playing and trying and I absolutely love it.  You'll find a teacher if you put your mind to it.  Me, I could play the piano all day, given a chance.  I don't play well but I could lose myself for hours on end.[/quote]

Snap, Sweet.  I have a keyboard in France and a piano in the UK.  I try not to let a day go by without playing.  It's frustrating that I am not better after all the practice but I am self taught.  The keyboard is recently acquired (second hand from a Forum member) and great fun.  Beethoven set to Techno rhythm is unusual...

Things that I would still like to do:  Do a backpacking trip around South America, including the Mayan temples, the Rio carnival, the Falklands etc. I WILL DO IT (one day).

[/quote]

Oh, Cathy, I don't have any "me" time nowadays with OH and his ruddy busted knee but normally, I do play the piano everyday.

As for the backpacking trip around S America, well, whenever you're ready, I shall come with you.  Just waiting for the right travelling companion.

Meanwhile, how will I now ever learn to rollerblade?  Time soon when I'll be worried about breaking a hip (because that's what happens to elderly ladies) and having to give up dreaming![:(] 

[Kitty]

[quote user="just john "] in fact Carthage too, indeed all of the civilised coast of North Africa,
[/quote]

I went out of my way to visit Carthage, John, and was really disappointed, as I was with Troy as well (not North Africa but on the Med coastline like Carthage).  I find that the gems are those that you don't expect and just chance upon.

[AnOther]

I don't think I have too many real regrets.

Like you Coops I would have have loved to have learnt to play an instrument but we woz 'pour' and I never really had the opportunity plus, although I love music, I don't have a vestige of talent, unlike my daughter who plays Sax and piano and can wrest a decent tune out of just about any instrument - plus out of a few things which are not !

I do regret not taking up microlighting. I had the opportunity to do that in the days before it was regulated when you could build something in your garage in a weekend out of lollipop sticks and sticky back plastic and be flying on Monday (killing yourself on Tuesday !). Maybe it's best I did pass on that one [blink]

But it's never too late they say, on a holiday in Sri Lanka at age 50 and on a whim I took up scuba diving and do regret not doing that sooner and not having enough time to go more often. I also did a 134m bungee jump in New Zealand 4 years ago so if you're still in half decent health there is no need to completely give up on those dreams.

One thing I definitely DO regret is not paying more attention in French at school but then I had no idea how life would turn out did I, who amongst us could have.

I definitely do not regret moving to France.

Gotta look forward not back [:D]

 

[Cendrillon]

sweet 17 wrote the following post at 19/02/2009 19:08:

"Yes,

Steve, I've always wanted to rollerblade.  We went on a holiday to New

York and I couldn't get over people using rollerblading as a form of

transport.

Then, when I was 50 (yes, you heard right), I spoke to my Cleaning

Lady (Woman to Coops) and asked her if I could borrow a pair of her

kids' rollerblades to try out in my garden before committing to buying

a pair.

She duly brought the rollerblades; they were a tad small but I didn't care."

Sweet 17

I saw this and thought of you[:)]

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/4/20090224/tuk-silver-skater-won-t-hang-up-wheels-dba1618.html

[mint]

Cendrillon, quick, give me a link that works!  Can't wait to see what made you think of me![:-))]