Can you play an instrument proficiently?
Can you speak another language fluently?
Are you an expert in chess? Backgammon? Jujitsu?
If you can answer yes to any of these questions, then I’m a little bit jealous.
(But we can still be friends.)
If you can answer yes to all of these questions, then I’m not entirely certain I can work through my jealousy to establish a friendship with you.


STORY ONE
One day, back in high school, I rocked up at the door of the Music Department.
Me: “I’d like to learn the flute please.”
The Head of Music: “I’m sorry, Shannon. We have no more flutes available.
What about a french horn?”
Me: “Sure!”
The french horn came housed in a handle-less case. The case was held together with masking tape and I had to cradle it in front of me, like a baby.
My coolness levels clearly soared.

The celebrity associated with being the orchestra’s first french horn player in a veeerrry long time,  just became too much to bear.
So I quit. (It was really because of that cumbersome case I had to lug around.)
And I started learning the clarinet. (Oh that sweet, sweet, compact, rectangular clarinet case. Complete with handle, it was just so convenient to carry around.)
By the time I finished high school, I was no longer playing the clarinet. I can’t quite remember when or why that career went down in flames.

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STORY TWO

In between my musical celebrity appearances obligations, I also spent my high school years learning French.
I then went to uni where I had to choose a language to study.
It perhaps would have been a smart idea to continue with French to reach a level of ace fluency.
Instead I chose Italian.
Interspersed with my years of Italian and French, I’ve tried to learn Cantonese three times. Asian languages and I just don’t mix well.
I am currently fluent in English. (Although this is debatable and dependent on levels of sleep deprivation.)

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STORY THREE
My sporting career has involved stints as….a swimmer/ volleyball player/ field hockey player/ AFL player/ touch footy player.
My current sport of choice is running.

So these stories clearly demonstrate a few things about me.
I’m easily swayed… from flute to french horn… what the?!
I have varied interests… so many things to try! Not enough time!
I get bored easily… or as I like to diplomatically call it “I enjoy trying new things.”

I am a Jack of all Trades. Master of None.
I could have been touring the world as a famous French Horn orchestra rock star by now.
Or living in Provence passionately (and fluently) debating the merits of one camembert over another in flawless French.
Or rolling in sponsorship money as an Olympic swimmer.
If only I’d stuck with one thing.

Instead, here I am, writing on a blog that covers a random array of my interests, slightly concerned that I don’t have a niche.
But variety is the spice of life, right?
That’s my story and I’m sticking with it.

Are you a Master of one particular thing? (I promise I won’t hold it against you!)
Or are you a ‘dabbler’ like me, and try a number of things without really being specifically good at any particular thing?!

Linking up today with Essentially Jess for IBOT

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