Taking Aim at the Next Shiny Thing
A little lesson in try before you buy.
Oliver probably shot better than me.
Younger eyes, obviously.
We had gone to a local shooting range for an hour with an air rifle. A bit of time together, something different, and a chance for me to revisit an interest that had been quietly waiting in the background for decades.
I came away having enjoyed myself. Oliver had done well. And, rather usefully, I no longer felt the need to buy an air rifle.
That last bit surprised me.
As a boy, I had bought an air pistol from a friend. I remember setting up targets in the garden and feeling terribly grown up. There was something exciting about owning it, taking aim and seeing whether I could hit what I was looking at.
I can’t remember what happened to it. I think I sold it. And, if I am honest, I probably didn’t use it nearly as much as I had imagined I would.
There may have been an early lesson in there.
Fast-forward a few decades and I wandered into a shop in Brighton specialising in air guns. Things had moved on considerably since my little pistol. All sorts of rifles, gas canisters, clever mechanisms and equipment I didn’t understand.
Naturally, I wanted to understand all of it.
Which meant research.
A few questions to ChatGPT. A look at local clubs. A little investigation into the kit. That familiar, enjoyable feeling of a new interest beginning to take shape.
Could this be my next thing?
I know this part of myself quite well. Something catches my attention and, before I have actually done it, I am exploring what it would look like to become someone who does it regularly. The research is part of the pleasure. The equipment starts to feel like the next logical step.
Occasionally, it is worth putting a small obstacle between the enthusiasm and the purchase.
Actually having a go, for example.
So, with some encouragement from Lucy to do something with Oliver, I booked us an hour at a nearby range.
When we arrived, there were crowds of people in camouflage and sniper gear, carrying some fairly impressive-looking equipment. They were there for airsoft, heading off to run around and shoot at one another.
We had come to shoot at targets. Though I will admit the airsoft crowd caught our attention.
Our session was good fun. Getting behind the scope, lining things up, concentrating on the target. There was enough of that old childhood enjoyment to remind me why I had been curious.
But by the end, I had my answer. I had enjoyed the experience without feeling any urge to spend a thousand pounds on a rifle and start setting up targets at home.
An hour well spent. Time with Oliver. A question answered.
I had had a similar experience paragliding with my son Alex. Beforehand, I had done plenty of research and could already imagine myself travelling to wonderful places with a wing in my luggage.
We had a brilliant day. I am very glad we did it.
Afterwards, though, I didn’t feel compelled to book a course or spend thousands on equipment. The day itself had been enough.
The piano took a slightly different route. I bought the kit, gave it a go and eventually sold it. Perhaps a little more trying before buying would have helped there.
Still, I am not going to give myself too much grief about it. Curiosity is something I like about myself. I want to keep it.
Some interests have stayed with me for years: cycling, running, fitness and triathlon. Even those have changed shape as my life and priorities have changed. Bikepacking has left me wanting more, too – the prospect of heading out with a bike and some camping gear still has a strong pull.
The only way I have discovered any of that is by doing things.
So, as I think about the final quarter of the year, I am making a little room for experimentation. One different experience each month feels about right.
Airsoft might be one, perhaps with Alex, Oliver or other family members. A music lesson could be another. I have wondered about the saxophone or trumpet, although my musical ability remains largely unproven. A lesson seems a sensible place to investigate.
I would also like to get out camping with Alex. More time outside together, seeing where we end up.
“Try before you buy” is the phrase I keep coming back to. It gives me room to enjoy the research, follow an interest and find out how it feels in practice, before filling another corner of the garage.
Some things might become part of my life. Others will leave me with a good memory and no particular wish to repeat them.
I am happy with either.
For now, the air rifle can stay in the shop.
I have already got something worth keeping: an hour with Oliver, a reminder of being a boy, and a score I am putting down to younger eyes.
