On Learning New Skills

I've been shuffling my life around a bit trying to find more time to relax, organize, and enjoy my home. A friend has taught me to knit, and I've received more than a few strange looks on the bus and during work breaks as I practice my first scarf. It may be 90 degrees Fahrenheit outside, but drought or no drought it's practically fall and time to start thinking about holiday gifts...

I've decided to try and learn one skill a month (until I know how to do everything ever). This month I learned to drive a standard vehicle and knit, and both experiences were extremely empowering. Granted, I haven't mastered either yet, but learning new skills won't preclude developing old ones.

The best part? Learning can be free. Crafting friends enjoy sharing their knowledge and tools - my knitting buddy is ecstatic to have someone to sit, chat, and work with. A friend on the verge of getting his Aikido teaching certification has offered free lessons to Darling and myself so he can practice leading a small class. Last week our neighbor discovered her young son is learning Flash in art class. She discussed with his teacher her desire to learn this tool in order to improve her resume, and was offered free one-on-one lessons! FLASH courses at the local college cost over $200 for only four classes of instruction! (She could also learn Flash, and other web developing tools, on this amazing website). Some skills can be learned at the library - that's how I picked up most of my budgeting, gardening, and cooking knowledge.

Many volunteer jobs offer great learning opportunities: The Yellow Bike Project offers volunteers the tools and knowlege to build and maintain their own bicycles, and an East Austin group called Blackland seeks sustainable builders (awesome experience for my NABCEP husband).

In some instances it's possible to get paid to learn. My first job at an exotic bird aviary taught me everything I could want to know about caring for, breeding, and training feathered friends. Working as a Barista taught me to trully appreciate, select, and prepare quality coffee drinks. Darling's job in a Virginia game store taught him more than he ever wanted to know about E-Bay and the American postal system.

And if we wanted to spend a little cash for a good grounding in a more obscure area of study? Most college offer "inforal" courses in topics ranging from Private Pilot Airplane ($76 at University of Texas) to Basic Blacksmithing ($100 at Austin Community College).

The only real financial drawback when it comes to developing new skills is the inevitable collecting of new tools. I hinted at my desire to knit for years, just waiting for someone to offer me dusty needles from their grandmother's storage unit, or to uncover a kit at a Goodwill. Didn't happen, and I'll be investing in needles and yarn early next month. And it's not likely I'll find a cheesemaking kit on the way to work, or a sewing machine on Craigslist free advertisements. However, if my lessons are primarily productive in nature, it's possible they'll pay for themselves in the long run.