Maggie, at From Cave Walls, and Lauren, at LSS Attitude of Gratitude, alternate hosting Throwback Thursday. The idea of the prompt is for them to give us a topic and for us to write a post in which we share our own memories or experiences about the given topic. This week, Lauren noted that, as kids, we are exposed to a huge variety of learning experiences. We can never succeed unless we are willing to make a commitment to the process. Hence, she asks the question about our experience when it comes to “learning new skills”

Here are Lauren’s questions.

1) When did you learn to ride a bike? Were you self-taught or did someone teach you? Any major injuries on the way? Did you master the skill? Do you still ride? If applicable, did you teach your kids?

I don’t remember exactly how old I was, but I think I was pretty much self-taught. My first two-wheeler was a Schwinn. But my pride and joy was when I got my three-speed Raleigh English Racer, similar to the one pictured below.

I will say that I mastered bicycling, although not competitively…just for fun and pre-driving transportation. I didn’t get what might be called “major” injuries. Just minor scrapes and bruises. I do still bike. Last December my wife and I sold our Trek bikes for two electric bikes, so we’re still going strong, even at our advanced age.

Both of our kids are avid cyclists, so I’m going to take credit for teaching them, even though I probably didn’t.

2) Did you learn to play a musical instrument? At what age? Who taught you? How often did you practice? Were you in band at school? How good were you? Do you still play? If applicable, did you encourage your kids to play?

One of my biggest regrets is that I never learned to play a musical instrument. I was in a band in high school, but I was a singer. And in college I was in a barbershop quartet. Our daughter doesn’t play any instruments but our son taught himself to play harmonica and ukulele. He also dabbles in piano playing.

3) Did you sing in a choir in church or at school? At what age? How often did you practice? Did you enjoy it? How good were you? Do you still sing with others?

I sang in a school choir in junior high school, a band in high school, and a barbershop quartet in college. For the junior high chorus, we practiced 2-3 times a week. Our high school band’s practice was sporadic, as was practice for my college barbershop quartet. How good was I? Well, let’s put it this way: I no longer sing with others or in public.

4) Did you have formal instructions on speaking a second language? Were you fortunate enough to be raised in a house with two or more languages? Did you learn a second language in school? Are you fluent in more than one language?

I took French in junior high school. At home we only spoke English. Je parle un peu le Français, mais je ne parle pas couramment.

5) Did you to play on a sports team or learn martial arts? At what age did you start? Did a parent become a coach? Did you practice at home? Do you still play sports? If applicable, did you encourage your children to play on a team?

I played Little League baseball and Midget League football in elementary school. I was also on a bowling team and a mixed softball team with work colleagues after college. When my kids were younger they were on local and school soccer teams. These days I watch, but do not play, sports.

6) Did you ever take dance, tap, ballet, baton, cheerleading, etc. lessons? When did you start? How long did you take lessons? Did you practice on your own in addition to the lessons? How skilled did you become? Did you encourage your children to do the same?

My parents made me take ballroom dancing (waltz, foxtrot, jitterbug, cha cha) and I hated it. I probably went for two years. I never practiced and I was never a very skilled dancer. My wife made me take dance lessons later in life and I hated it then, too. I did not encourage our kids to take dance lessons.

7) Did you learn to roller skate or ice skate? Did someone teach you or did you take lessons? At what age did you learn? Did you become skilled quickly? Can you still skate? Did you teach your children.

I did learn to roller skate in my pre-teen years. No lessons, purely self-taught and I was a decent roller skater. My friends and I would often go to an indoor roller skating rink on weekends. I tried ice skating, but was never very good at it. Nor was I good at rollerblading (in-line skates), although that’s what my kids preferred. I no longer roller skate, as I would prefer to not break any bones when I would inevitably fall on my keister.