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wish I could do that

(59 Posts)
overthehill Sun 11-Sep-16 14:44:45

This is about skills others can do and you admire and wish you could do the same.

Being caravanners we often spend time in service areas and have to go in the HGV section. The skill these drivers have in backing up their huge vehicles leaves me in awe. DH makes a valiant attempt with the van but doesn't always pull it off. This is in spite of taking a maneuvering course.

UkeCan61 Tue 13-Sep-16 22:44:26

Ooh Wobblybits a fellow uker! Are you obsessed too? Playing the ukulele has been my saviour during lots of bad family stuff. I love playing it and singing and trying out new songs. grin

Wobblybits Tue 13-Sep-16 08:18:49

Aeepgirl. I will qualify my post re singing --- I wish I could sing in tune. I sing every Monday night with our ukulele group, but, not in tune for very long, then my voice breaks and I lose it, only get away with it in a group, solo I sound awful, not for the want of trying. My ear is fine.

UkeCan61 Tue 13-Sep-16 07:33:37

I have many hobbies. Some I think I was 'born with' eg art, singing. Others, like sewing and crafting I was taught by my mum - although I think these too are in the blood in my family.
However, I am in a community choir and local people are encouraged to join, there is no audition and it's amazing that those who thought they couldn't sing actually can. With the right encouragement and choir leader most people have a voice and in a choir it is safety in numbers.
If anyone wants to try and learn an instrument - get a ukulele! It is the most rewarding little instrument ever. it is easy to learn and you get quick results and now most areas have a uke group.. One tip though - don't get a cheap one! It won't stay in tune and you will think it is your playing at fault when it is really your rubbish 'toy' ukulele. A decent concert size will cost around £60-£70.
The good thing about buying a good one is that if you don't take to it, you can always sell it. Give it a try!

Aepgirl Tue 13-Sep-16 07:32:45

Everybody CAN sing. Just join a local choir - there are hundreds of them out there - and you will find that most members were told at some time or other that they can't sing. It's fun, and sociable. Just give it a go.

What I would love to be able to do is arrange flowers.

littleoldlady Tue 13-Sep-16 07:27:27

I sing opera in the car .I screech and wail to the music and have a wonderful time . It 's great exercise for the lungs too.

littleoldlady Tue 13-Sep-16 07:27:27

I sing opera in the car .I screech and wail to the music and have a wonderful time . It 's great exercise for the lungs too.

littleoldlady Tue 13-Sep-16 07:27:27

I sing opera in the car .I screech and wail to the music and have a wonderful time . It 's great exercise for the lungs too.

Blodwen1910 Mon 12-Sep-16 22:50:47

A new choir has been started in Cardiff specially for people who can't sing but long to be in a choir. Good idea???

Pollengran Mon 12-Sep-16 18:35:54

I wish I could be a published author. I did write a book once, but it was rejected everywhere in the universe. It was a fantasy about cats..I thought it was exciting, but it was probably rubbish.

Despite trying to be fluent in French for most of my life, nobody understands me in France. I wish I was good at languages.

grandMattie Mon 12-Sep-16 17:45:51

I wish I was good at "socialising"/small talk. I am terrified of too many people, I usually hide in the kitchen or go round passing food round.

I wish I could : -
Play a musical instrument, preferably the piano;
Sing as well as DD who is cantor in her church
understand jokes... they go right over my head grin
Have had a real career - mothering wasn't/isn't considered a career sad
Etc., etc.

Sheilasue Mon 12-Sep-16 17:40:53

Wish I could tap dance always wanted to do that and would love to have Julie Waters personality

Zengran Mon 12-Sep-16 17:30:07

Roller skate and ice skate (was a very nervous child so never tried), cartwheel (probably too old for that one now!) drive (never had the finances)
But I can knit, crochet, sew (a bit, learning, wary of the sewing machine!)and I can cook a bit. Oh, and I read a theatrical bedtime story! smile

Legs55 Mon 12-Sep-16 13:17:51

I wish I could swim better (good exercise)
I wish I could knit - never could learn grin
I wish I could decorate cakes (can bake fine but...)
I wish I could ride a bike these days but scared to try went everywhere on my bike before I passed my driving test (1st time at 17) smile
I wish I could just get on with the jobs I hate (ironing/cleaning the oven) & not spend time prevaricating (that's why I'm sitting at my lap top checking e-mails & responding) grin
I wish I could do the "hard landscaping" my garden needs instead of waiting until I can afford some-one to do it hmm

Juggernaut Mon 12-Sep-16 12:50:58

There's a long list, but the things I'd really love to be able to do are...
Swim (terrified of water)
Sing (can't even carry a note in a bucket)
Plaster....walls etc (how much cash could I save?)
Speak Russian (no special reason, would just like to)
Sketch/draw/paint, I was 'asked to leave' art class at school as the other girls were so busy laughing at my feeble efforts that they weren't getting on with their own work!

Stansgran Mon 12-Sep-16 12:38:32

I would love to sing . I have a tin ear. I would love to learn dry stone walling( just back from the Lakes)

Nandalot Mon 12-Sep-16 12:25:28

To HildaJ. I have just bought an electronic piano. I had some lessons when I was eleven but was not very good at it. I wondered if I was wasting my money but I love it I bought a book called ' It is never to late to play piano'. Would recommend and I am teaching myself st mo.

I, too, wish I could sing. I was forbidden to sing in primary school by my teachers as my notes were so off!

MrsJamJam Mon 12-Sep-16 12:17:46

I was always in the duffers group in school art lessons, we were ignored by the teacher and I think probably spent most lessons gossiping! I have always wanted to draw and paint but thought you needed a 'talent'. Wrong! On retirement I signed up for a beginners art course and have realised that the best way to learn something is just to get on and DO IT. I will never be an artist, but I have great fun playing with paint and having a go at different techniques. Sometimes I like the final result, mostly I can just see what is not right about it! All the friends I have made through art lessons have been positive and supportive, we all realise that we are in it to enjoy ourselves and learn along the way.
We give up too quickly when we aren't perfect very quickly, but it's practice that is the way to get better. Some of us just need an awful lot of practice!

Wobblybits Mon 12-Sep-16 11:59:39

I sing with our ukulele group, but only because the others are so loud that I cannot be heard. Not sure why I can't sing, am definitely not tone deaf, have a very good ear in that respect.

Wobblybits Mon 12-Sep-16 11:57:21

Grannybing shock life is too short to worry about house work etc, get out there and do something daring, skydiving perhaps?

GrannyBing Mon 12-Sep-16 11:53:28

Wish I was better at housework and house maintenance. I really do admire dedicated housekeeping, I'd love to live in immaculate surroundings.

Lupin Mon 12-Sep-16 11:29:19

I'd like to sing too. I could once when I was younger but after several bouts of laryngitis, something affected my singing voice and left it in a delicate condition. Ageing has affected it too. I'd also love to play a harpsichord, speak French and Italian - particularly Italian - and understand Latin. More than anything I wish I was creative and could amke things with my hands.

Wobblybits Mon 12-Sep-16 10:48:05

WE have tried to learn Italian, been on courses, internet etc, goes in one ear and out the other. Never seem to remember other than the most basic words.

winifred01 Mon 12-Sep-16 10:20:33

Love to travel,so would love to be able to communicate with people in their country, have tried- French, Spanish and Italian, just can't do it.
Is there a reason to explain this?

moxeyns Mon 12-Sep-16 10:15:39

I wish I could prevaricate less, and time manage better smile
I have so many fun hobbies that I would love to be better at - but getting there (anywhere) takes around 300 hours of practice, at least for those of us without innate skill; and I never have the time!

Karate
Playing the bodhran
Playing the ocarina
Writing
Jewellery making (now THAT's the worst, so many subdivisions! I always want to try something new before I'm good at whatever I picked up last!)

I keep telling myself I shall practice everything when I retire grin

Indinana Mon 12-Sep-16 09:40:10

I wish I could..... play piano, paint/draw, speak a foreign language fluently, sing.

And I wish I could get down on the floor to play with the grandchildren (and get up again sad)