Open Book Blog Hop – What would I like to learn

Uncategorized 2 Minutes

‘What is one thing you would like to learn?’

This is an interesting question and one I had to reflect on today.

When I finished school, I did an aptitude test and studying accountancy was recommended. It was quite an irony as my biological father was a chartered accountant. I never knew him as he died when I was three months old, but his abilities were clearly passed down. I studied for years to qualify as a chartered accountant and that has been my day job for over twenty years.

In 2012, I decided I had an interest in economics. As mentioned previously on this blog, the firm I work for gave me the opportunity to research, write, and publish a series of publications about Investing in Africa. My research covered a myriad of topics including the ease of doing business in Africa, Corruption in Africa, the African stock exchanges, the African mining and mineral exploration environment, the African debt market and the fourth industrial revolution and Africa. I also researched and wrote articles about other stock exchanges and investment environments. This satisfied my interest in economics and enabled me to ‘study’ the parts that interested me without being bogged down in the stuff that doesn’t interest me which is what would have happened if I’d undertaken an economics degree.

History and literature have both always been interests of mine and I get to indulge both of these passions with my reading and writing hobbies. I read everything and anything including classics, children’s books, graphic novels, poetry, plays, non-fiction, and many other genres and types of books.

My writing allows me to dive into historical research as my books and stories nearly always have a historical thread. While the Bombs Fell is about World War II in the UK, Through the Nethergate explores a number of historical periods and some famous historical people too and A Ghost and His Gold [coming out in January 2021] is about the Second Anglo Boer War.

Many of my short stories are also based on real historical events. I have two South African frontier stories in Spirits of the West anthology, a story about the Inca child sacrifices in Spellbound anthology, three historical stories in Death Among Us, and a story about the destruction of the pink and white terraces in New Zealand in forthcoming anthology, Wings & Fire.

I am also interested in genetic engineering and the fourth industrial revolution and my writing has also enabled me to expand my interest and research in these two areas. One of the result short stories will appear in Wings & Fire and another may be in another forthcoming anthology.

My conclusion is that both my work and my hobbies have enabled me to dive deeply into all areas of study and research that interest me. As a result, I don’t feel there is any particular thing that I would like to have studied that I haven’t already investigated or won’t have the opportunity to look into in the future.

What would other blog hoppers like to learn. Follow the link below to find out.

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

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Published by robertawrites235681907

I am a writer of young adult fiction and poetry

Published

53 thoughts on “Open Book Blog Hop – What would I like to learn”

  2. I love that you have so many interests that you are able to participate in with your work and hobbies. Being a teacher allowed me to dabble in so many different things. I think that is why I love to read and to read various genres. I love when I learn something from a fiction book, it always intrigues me. I always used to say that my head was full of tidbits of useless knowledge, however not useless, but not an expert in a lot of things.

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  3. It’s the age-old nature vs. nurture question. People always comment on physical similarities between family members, but what I find most interesting are the habits and personality traits that sometimes get passed on.

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    1. I took after my mother on the physical and creative side and after my father on the scientific side. It’s a very odd mix that I have to find my way through on a daily basis.

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    1. It is amazing how we change as we get older, Richard. I was saying to my husband yesterday that it is incredible how our brains develop as we get older. Things that challenged me in my teens and early 20s are a walk in the park now.

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  8. I too read books about things I would never have studied in school. I have always wanted to be fluent in another language, but have only studied in fits and starts. As I’ve gotten older it’s become harder and harder to focus, so that will be an unfulfilled wish. (K)

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  11. You’re a lifetime learner, Robbie, and that’s a wonderful thing. Something will always come along that you want to investigate.
    Lack of focus has plagued me this year, so I’m not sure what I would like to learn now.
    However, in the past I used to like to ask this — sort of a “party question” to be asked in a group — it was a fun conversation starter: “If time and money were no obstacle (if you had plenty of both), what would you like to take lessons in?” My answer back then was singing lessons in opera. I thought it would be an exciting challenge (particularly since I don’t read music). I doubt my answer would be the same now. That was years ago.
    Hmmm… what would I like to learn? Maybe painting, if I could develop any skill.
    Thanks for sharing this fun post with us. Hugs on the wing.

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    1. Hi Teagan, thanks for your lovely response. I don’t think I would be good at painting, sadly, I am better at sculpture and modelling. I also like to sing and would have liked to have had singing lessons once upon a time. I have other interests now though. If you do decide to try your hand at painting, I would love to see your pictures. I have a feeling you would be good at it.

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  19. Spellbound is in my Kindle and on my reading list! Very much looking forward to A Ghost and his Gold.

    What would I like to learn? Hmm… a new language! I’ve tried to learn Chinese for years, but it’s hard when you’re out of school (or live in the US where there’s not enough people to practice with).

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    1. I hope you enjoy Spellbound when you get to it, H. I am still finalising A Ghost and His Gold. I’m reviewing the final proof this week. It feels never ending but I am happy with it now. I can’t learn languages, I never could. I was brilliant at English, History, Accounting and Maths, but German and Afrikaans, forget it!

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  20. I wish I had been an architect – I have no idea whether I would have had the aptitude or the stamina to achieve this, but women must have an excellent idea of what buildings should achieve for living, work and culture. Buildings form our landscape as much as nature and have an important effect on us physically and mentally. My aim would have been to make everywhere interesting and beautiful.

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