Never Too Old to Learn New Tricks

It used to be that I felt I learned something new almost every day. Lately, not so much. Now I have to make a concerted effort to find something new to learn on a regular basis. Is this a normal part of getting old? Fortunately, I love to read.

I recently found a book about table manners and setting an elegant table written by an old English butler. Cookbooks have always been fun for me to just read through, but this took me to the other side, to the duties of waiters and staff in the most royal castles in Europe. Truly inspiring!


I'm also learning about wines - mostly because I find if I have a glass of wine, I don't drink as much as I would if I were drinking, say, martinis....

Oddly, I've also learned quite a bit about probate and the law in the last few years. While every state is different, it doesn't hurt to look into writing a will and putting property into your children's names before it's too late. And get life insurance. Not to get morbid, but nobody wants to have to pay out of pocket for your funeral expenses and even cremation with a memorial service costs more than you'd think. Oh, and get rid of your junk. Nobody wants to take time off from their busy lives to fill up the dumpster after you're gone either. If they don't want it now, they won't want it later. One more thing - give someone you trust access to all your passwords and copies of keys for things (the house, shed, post office box, safety deposit box, etc.).

Another thing I find strange is how much I've learned about dogs, their diet and exercise requirements, and yet, I haven't implemented a proper diet and exercise plan for myself. Will power is a really tough new trick to learn. As a child growing up on a farm, exercise was part of the lifestyle. Working in an office most of my life since then has taken that luxury away from me and made "working out" a chore. So having a dog to walk has been helpful, but not exactly an exercise plan. Finding a way to make exercise part of my lifestyle is what I need to do. I used to love backpacking with the kids, and while I don't want to go alone and now suffer from allergies to trees, grass and mold, it wouldn't hurt to get out in the woods once in a while for a hike. I also love taking a canoe out on the weekends. However, it's still winter (albeit a mild winter), and I desperately hate being cold (as does my dog).

In the end, I just wonder how many new things I should take on. While I enjoy learning new things and keeping up on the world, it's tiresome to constantly learn new tricks!