“Aging is an extraordinary process whereby you become the person you always should have been.”
—David Bowie
2024 has been a year whe I have re-connected with the person I used to be. It feels very much like this is the person I always should have been. Herewith are five things I loved as a kid that I have resumed doing as an adult:
- This summer, I picked up some alcohol-based markers after hearing about them on TikTok. Apparently they are more blendable than water-based markers? I don’t really know, since my technique still sucks, but damn, I am having fun with them. Most evenings, in that sliver between post-dinner kitchen cleanup and getting into bed, I break out my Coco Wyo colouring books, turn on Las Culturistas, and get lost in making something pretty. Soooooo satisfying. 9/10, highly recommend.
- A few weeks ago, I started improv classes, which I thought was going to be pure shits ‘n’ gigs. Turns out improv is far more intellectually stimulating than I’d imagined. The willingness to be vulnerable creates all kinds of beautiful analogues with mindfulness, self-trust, and a sort of Zen appreciation of the present moment. It’s quite extraordinary. Of course, there has to be at least one excruciating moment per class in which I judge the shit out of myself, so it’s not all prayer hands and enlightenment. On the other hand, giving yourself a weekly opportunity to intentionally be with what is very much feels like a spiritual practice. 10/10, highly recommend.
- Next, I signed up for Spanish lessons. But upon arriving at a classroom at my local high school for my first class, I discovered a) the temperature in the room was jacked to at least 25 degrees Celcius, and b) my fellow students were mostly men who were far more confident in their Spanish-speaking abilities than their actual skill level would suggest. Actual experience: 3/10. The pleasure of peace’ing out and getting a refund: 8/10.
- Swimming is one of those things I’ve always loved, so I’ve never minded that I was never all that great at it. But when I started going back to the pool in March, I discovered my front crawl was complete and total trash. Then I gave myself something called “swimmers knee” as a result of too much frog kick/whip kick, i.e. avoiding front crawl entirely. So I’m going back to the drawing board. So I’m starting a 4 week program in TOTAL IMMERSION swimming this week. It’s a technique that apparently has a bit of woo built in to its philosophy (there’s talk of becoming one with the water, for example), which I find appealing. Rating: TBD.
- Finally, the only reason why I’ve been able to become the cyclist I’ve always wanted to be is because I bought an e-assist bike. This magical invention allows me to power up hills, defeat barreling winds and just have way more fun in the saddle. And although the helmet does get in the way of the wind blowing through my hair, there are still wonderful opportunities to commune with nature on a bike. Just yesterday morning, I rode along a beautiful tree-lined trail while a sprinkle of raindrops cooled down my overheated perimenopausal body. I’m even experiencing anticipatory grief at having to put my bike away once the roads become icy. Finding my biking groove, finally, in my early 50s: 11/10, highly, highly recommended.
It has been absolutely wonderful to return to five four things I loved as a kid: making pretty things with paper, drama, learning a language, swimming and biking.
David Bowie was really on to something about this whole aging thing.