Just listened to your first Great Wives on BBC Sounds - witty, knowledgable and acerbic. I had no idea Einstein has a daughter whom he basically abandoned! Really excellent piece.
I learned to roller skate at 39. Painful, but very, very satisfying. Currently building an electric car with my eldest daughter who at 12 picked up welding annoyingly quickly.
Loved this edition. Shall seek out the comedy series.
OK, you did ask. After a long career in the civil society world, l joined a tech start-up after taking voluntary redundancy. Being the only middle aged woman in a room full of male under-30s was a lonely place to be at times, but I’m still in touch with a few of them. I also learned a lot. Then I went back into what I knew for a few years, wasn’t that happy, so at the age of 59 after a fairly unpleasant experience in a charity, I was persuaded by an ex-colleague to set up a new business that, is quite different to what I used to do. It’s been frustrating and worrying but we are starting to get work now. I’m now 60. If this doesn’t work out, I’m sure I’ll think of something else. I’ll have to, but I think it’s great to do something different (the woman you refer to sounds incredible) and I wonder why there is so much suspicion about anyone who is curious and willing to make changes throughout their career. I was interviewed for a charity ceo role a couple of years ago and was taken to task for ‘having moved around a lot’ that by a senior corporate type. After being institutionalised for nearly 30 years! I hoped she might have understood my need to do different things to use my skills and learn in a new setting. Anyway, I’m not going to pretend it’s been a wonderful life changing, follow your dream etc thing, but I would never go back. I like finding out about new things.
Thanks Helen, and I like the sound of the new programme. Heard a trailer for it on R4. If it’s as good as The Spark (yes, v.different genre, but you know what I mean) it will be brilliant. Best of luck with it.
I bought a piano at 69.
I agree I'll never be much good, but I enjoy learning, theory and occasionally the 'sounds' I make give me pleasure.
Try it.
I will, if I ever have a house big enough for both a piano and a soundproof room to put it in…
Two poor excuses. Look at electric (electronic) pianos or even keyboards, which can have excellent sound. Noise. Nope. I use headphones.
1950's logic? The family upright in the 'front room'? out of date Helen ;-)
OK, you win this round. I’ll get a Casio keyboard like Ross from Friends.
Just listened to your first Great Wives on BBC Sounds - witty, knowledgable and acerbic. I had no idea Einstein has a daughter whom he basically abandoned! Really excellent piece.
Thank you! And yes, no one knew about Lieserl for decades. The consensus is that she probably died of scarlet fever as a baby.
I learned to roller skate at 39. Painful, but very, very satisfying. Currently building an electric car with my eldest daughter who at 12 picked up welding annoyingly quickly.
Loved this edition. Shall seek out the comedy series.
Ageing is the sound of doors closing.
OK, you did ask. After a long career in the civil society world, l joined a tech start-up after taking voluntary redundancy. Being the only middle aged woman in a room full of male under-30s was a lonely place to be at times, but I’m still in touch with a few of them. I also learned a lot. Then I went back into what I knew for a few years, wasn’t that happy, so at the age of 59 after a fairly unpleasant experience in a charity, I was persuaded by an ex-colleague to set up a new business that, is quite different to what I used to do. It’s been frustrating and worrying but we are starting to get work now. I’m now 60. If this doesn’t work out, I’m sure I’ll think of something else. I’ll have to, but I think it’s great to do something different (the woman you refer to sounds incredible) and I wonder why there is so much suspicion about anyone who is curious and willing to make changes throughout their career. I was interviewed for a charity ceo role a couple of years ago and was taken to task for ‘having moved around a lot’ that by a senior corporate type. After being institutionalised for nearly 30 years! I hoped she might have understood my need to do different things to use my skills and learn in a new setting. Anyway, I’m not going to pretend it’s been a wonderful life changing, follow your dream etc thing, but I would never go back. I like finding out about new things.
I would quite like to learn how to play piano.
Good for you! And yes, it’s strange that the model career is still stuck in such a 1950s pattern, particularly when working lives are getting longer.
Find a good piano shop and listen to some? Well worth it. Casio, Yamaha, Kawai. Three good names.
Thanks Helen, and I like the sound of the new programme. Heard a trailer for it on R4. If it’s as good as The Spark (yes, v.different genre, but you know what I mean) it will be brilliant. Best of luck with it.