Are you a Kick-a-holic?

I read some literature not so long ago, that talked about ‘kicks’.  At the time, I was commencing yet another course and the reading material that accompanied it, urged us not to treat this course as just another ‘kick’.

What’s a ‘kick’?

Well if you’re well known for starting things and not finishing them, getting excited about something new and then losing interest when reality sets in, then you are probably very familiar with ‘kicks’.  They are likely to be as much a part of your life, as they are mine.

1. Sewing. I decided one new year, that I wanted to turn my hand to something new.  I duly enrolled on a curtain/blind-making course and purchased a pretty expensive sewing machine.  I started well – made 3 roman blinds for different rooms in the house and curtains for our living room.  But that’s where it ended….my love affair with the sewing machine that is.  It has sat gathering dust in the corner of our study for nigh on 4 years now.  “Put it on ebay” suggested the OH….but what if I decide to have another go or the kids fancy their hand at a spot of needlework later in life?  And here it stays.
2. Running. I used to watch with envy at the other women on the treadmill, pounding the track for hours on end, wondering why all I could muster was 2 minutes before retiring into a breathless, sweaty heap. Then I heard about the Cancer Research Couch to 5K programme.  Well that can’t be too hard, I thought, let’s go for the 10K and sign up for a race! So I did just that, bought some very expensive trainers and achieved my goal, completing the Dorney 10K run in 56 minutes (my pb) and raising over £500 for Cancer Research. Then one day my knee began to hurt and I stopped, just like that. The following week I took up Zumba….then  Kettlebells (obviously purchasing the required kit) and most recently I acquired a brand new bike.
3. Journalism. Having decided that my passion is writing (it only took 40 years to find that out!) I thought (surprise, surprise) that a course would be the way to go.  I did a bit of research and opted for an online course in Freelance Journalism with the British College of Journalism.  It took me 12 months to complete and I passed, whilst gaining the auspicious title of Freelance Journalist – go me! The only problem is that actually finding paid work in this field seems to be an arduous task, one I’m not sure I have the stamina or time to pursue. So I took up blogging.
4. Photography. This is one I’ve dabbled in and out of for quite some time. I went on a one-day course last year and learnt loads – even how to do that funny blurry thing with the background (see above pic).  Upon leaving I vowed never to go back to ‘manual’, promising myself that I would take a couple of outdoor excursions per week, trusty Canon in hand. Let’s just say that my iPhone remains my best friend.