When I say that to my wife she always tells me that I wouldn't have anything to do now if I had learned to play it when I was young.I wish I started young!
When I say that to my wife she always tells me that I wouldn't have anything to do now if I had learned to play it when I was young.
Looking back at my childhood and teenage years, I think I had plenty of opportunity to learn an instrument with a mother and grandparents who were supportive. I just didn't have the interest. At around 12, my grandparents bought me an expensive Hohner electronic organ that was magnificent. I went a few times to a piano and organ teacher that I didn't get along with (and I wasn't interested in The Saints Go Marching In and other such to me unfamiliar tunes, nor the dull chord exercises), and the whole thing didn't lead anywhere. Then the next Christmas I got my first computer and that killed any other interests in the next two decades anyway. I learned how to program (no choice but to do that at the time) and was endlessly fascinated by the machine. Even if someone had given me a stringed instrument, I'd not have done anything with it.
So, yeah, I certainly wish I had started to play ukulele at age 12 instead of 40, and the game of Go at age 5 instead of 35, but I wouldn't have enjoyed it if I had and would probably not do either of these things now if they had been forced on me at a young age.
I had lots of opportunities to do lots of things when I was a kid. None of them became a lifelong passion. I'm glad I found the ukulele when I did. I needed something when I came to it, and it has certainly given me something to do at this stage of my life.Looking back at my childhood and teenage years, I think I had plenty of opportunity to learn an instrument with a mother and grandparents who were supportive. I just didn't have the interest. At around 12, my grandparents bought me an expensive Hohner electronic organ that was magnificent. I went a few times to a piano and organ teacher that I didn't get along with (and I wasn't interested in The Saints Go Marching In and other such to me unfamiliar tunes, nor the dull chord exercises), and the whole thing didn't lead anywhere. Then the next Christmas I got my first computer and that killed any other interests in the next two decades anyway. I learned how to program (no choice but to do that at the time) and was endlessly fascinated by the machine. Even if someone had given me a stringed instrument, I'd not have done anything with it.
So, yeah, I certainly wish I had started to play ukulele at age 12 instead of 40, and the game of Go at age 5 instead of 35, but I wouldn't have enjoyed it if I had and would probably not do either of these things now if they had been forced on me at a young age.