Old Dogs and New Tricks

You know the saying: "You can't teach an old dog new tricks." People say it with a kind of resignation, because it's true. We had an old dog... and we couldn't.

So what's this mean for you and me? If you're old, don't bother trying to learn any new tricks? No. It means keep learning new tricks and you won't become an old dog.

There's a lot of medical evidence to support that, and plenty of examples I can cite, including one in my own home...

As many of you know, Trudi and I are empty nesters. A visit to a Monet exhibit inspired Trudi to take up drawing and painting. So in January 2007, she started taking art courses at the College of San Mateo in a variety of media: charcoal, pastels and oils. She met some teachers and friends who taught and inspired her, and was soon turning out some fine work. Here are just a few examples:

In my totally biased opinion, this is some pretty great stuff. But far more important than the art itself is what it does for Trudi. She's discovering new things about herself, learning to see the world around her in fresh ways, and making new friends. And that's a great formula for staying young.

Next time, I'll share some thoughts about my "new trick" - electric bass.