I wish I had been put into dance lessons, preferably jazz. I just took a dance class as my phys ed requirement for college ad thought it was alot of fun.
Actually, I wish my parents had made me do more chores around the house.
Seems insane, but I might do better around the house now – not be such a slob, and have a better sense of organization, etc. – if I’d had to clean my room more regularly, plus do other chores like washing dishes, etc. I basically taught myself to cook and clean, and I think especially cleaning-wise it’s taken me a while to learn how to do it intelligently. You know, dust before vacuuming, and stuff like that.
Mrs. Furthur
That’s a good question because I really don’t know…I don’t think I would be able to put the same amount of time into it and I don’t have a Violin anymore, My brother got his brand new Violin for free from his teacher because she said he deserved a new instrument. When I get a Violin I will go for it again.
*As far as Breakdancing this is what I see happening;
START: When I was a teenager I could spin on my back.
Grandson: Oh cool Grandpa, show me.
START: OK, I’ll try
Moments later…
START: OOOOOOOOOOOH I’ve fallen and I can’t get up. *
I know how you feel. My father’s native language is German and he never spoke it with me. I’m not sure why; he never seemed to think that being bilingual would stunt my progress. My best guess is that after 3 years in America (and married to an American, but my mother knows German so they spoke it at home) he finally left his lonely lab and got a research job where he had to speak English with coworkers all day, so he just got in the habit of English himself.
Anyway, he’s occasionally expressed regret that I don’t know German…he even seems surprised at this, as though German should have already been written in my DNA or something. I’ve pointed out to him that if I didn’t learn German, it was no one’s fault but his. Still, after the age of 25 you’re not allowed to blame your parents for anything, so I’m slouching toward acceptance (and yes, I’ve studied some German as an adult).
I would have appreciated it had I been encouraged to continue in school basketball and possibly baseball. I’m a pretty big guy – 6’6" and very broad – and I was always an excellent shot and solid passer. I think I could have done quite well at the high school and possibly college level had I kept up my game past junior high school. Plus I’d be a lot healthier; and probably be more successful with the ladies. I’m not really even sure why I quit in the first place.
A bit sterner prompting in developing my musical talents would have been appreciated as well. I started with drums in grade school, but quit because my drum case was too heavy to be lugging back and forth from home to school. I think I could’ve been a kick ass drummer! I’ve been told I have a “drummer” personality (whatever that means lol). The more I get into listening to music, the more I wish I had at least some ability to play what I hear.
However, I should state I’m very pleased with the manner in which my parents raised me. They were always very open minded around me – letting me choose my interests and giving me a lot of space. Plus, I can always play pickup games with the gym rats and learn the drums on my own. 
rorty, ever think about lessons in percussion now? (I’ve just been listening to Mickey Hart and I’m trying to imagine what it must be like to be able to do that!)
Actually, I have been considering it. I have a lot of musical friends and I’ve felt like the odd man out on plenty of occasions. I just might take some lessons and see about getting into it. If not, my roommate has offered to teach me guitar, which is something I’d love to learn given the time.
When I was 15, I was accepted into a Selective high school (government-funded schools for academic high-achievers). At the time I was going through a bit of a teenage lefty-radical stage, reading books like Deschooling Society and Summerhill that challenged the value of conventional schooling in favour of more alternative models.
The school did not quite agree with my educational principles you might say, so after three months I told my mum I was leaving to find another better suited to my unique abilities and attitudes. 
God, I was an obnoxious snot back then.
Anyway, she didn’t argue with me, and I wish she had. My whole life might well have turned out quite differently if I’d gone the conventional route of education.
Hence the ‘perhaps’…