Ok readers, here's your assignment: If you could magically have the skill or talent to do one specific thing, what would it be? This assignment, of course, comes with some constraints. First of all, it absolutely must be physically possible. So no wishing to learn to fly, or run a marathon in 12 minutes or something ridiculous like that. This is more of a Groundhog Day sort of thing, where you get to develop a skill overnight, but, in my magical case, you don't have to relive a single day over and over. It's like in the blink of an eye you get to spend 1000 hours practicing something. In the movie, Bill Murray does all sorts of stuff with his time: throw cards into a hat, ice sculpt, learn French poetry, play the piano (what else am I forgetting)? But you only get one thing. What would it be? I think the exercise is more fun if you try to be as specific as possible.
To be a good sport, I'll share mine. I think I'd magically learn to play Rhapsody in Blue on the piano. I don't think it's outside the realm of possibility that I could learn to play it, but I think I'd need every one of those arbitrarily-chosen 1000 hours. Obviously, I think the piece is pretty cool, or I wouldn't waste my wish on learning to play it. If you don't have anything to listen to for the next 14 1/2 minutes, here it is on youtube. (I'll have you know that I did listen to 2 versions, but didn't like the other one much.) I've listened to it like 3 times tonight, and I'm not tired of it yet.
2 comments:
Hands down, my wish would be to be able to non-emotionally react to situations, to be able to calmly process what has happened and not fly off the handle in anger or sadness the second after something happens. I think I'd be a much better parent / spouse / friend if I could master that ability.
I have to say regarding Rhapsody in Blue that I like the song...for about 5 minutes. Then, I am ready for it to be over. Actually, I like the last bit better, so maybe we could cut out the first 8 - 9 minutes :) It would be a cool piece to be able to play well though.
I've been thinking about this all morning, and I've come up with two things I'd like. I know, that doesn't fall in the parameters of the wish, but I thought they were both interesting, and therefore both worth including.
First, I would LOVE to be able to play jazz piano. To sit down and "jam." Perhaps it's within the realm of possibility that I could someday learn how to do this, but likely not without all those hours of practice.
Second, I would like to LIKE running. See, this one is tricky. I'd love to be able to run long distances, like a marathon for example, but I just hate it so much, I can't see myself ever getting there. But I want to like it. So if I had 10000 hours of practice in the blink of an eye, I'd have gone through the pain and struggle of working up to longer distances. I like the idea of going out for a couple miles a few times a week, but I don't like the actual practice.
But if I could only pick one, it'd be the jazz piano :)
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