Have you ever learned something (a music instrument, a language, a sport, etc.) 'in secret' to surprise a loved one?

I am currently learning Arabic for my best friend. It is her first language and I thought it’d be super cool to speak to her in it.

Not a loved one but I’ve learned phrases in different languages in order to make little surprises for people I was dating who didn’t share English as their first language.

That is a very sweet thing of you to do, @KatetheGreat !
She knows that you are doing it?

@Neizvestnaya Yeah, for people that you like is also good of course :-)
Nice initiative, by the way!

@rebbel She doesn’t know about it at all. Her wedding is in a few months and I am her maid of honor. So at her wedding, I am giving my entire speech in Arabic. It’s going to be perfect.

@KatetheGreat Wow, I’m impressed! (As will your friend be too, I am sure.)

Yes. I learned to sew in secret so I could surprise my husband with a handmade caftan on his birthday. It was quite a project for a beginner and took hours of coaching from my friend, an expert seamstress.

From there I enjoyed many years of sewing as a creative activity until carpal tunnel syndrome put a stop to it.

I learned Massage Therapy on the side to be able to understand, know and delivery a much better massage.

I’m learning to play “Danny Boy” on the cello for my old man. Thing is, he wants it to be played at my funeral, and I’m currently not planning to be around that long.

Good thing my brothers can play as well.

Nice @Jeruba !
By the way, I googled caftan and I wonder now…, you sew one to give your husband or to wear one on his birthday?

Lucky loved one, @blueiiznh!

@King_Pariah I don’t understand totally…, how can you play it when you are deceased?

It was for him to wear. (It was a lot like this. I chose a masculine fabric and color.) He liked to put one on as loungewear after he showered in the evening. He had an old raggedy one that his ex had made him and that I was eager to retire. I made him a nice, soft, roomy one in a solid color and trimmed it with bits of a complementary print, and then I made myself one out of the complementary print and trimmed it with bits of his solid color.

He had the good sense to dispose of the old one swiftly and discreetly. Smart fellow.

Thank you, @Jeruba, I can picture it now!

@rebbel perhaps its just to entertain and toy with the part of me that does desire to make it that far.

@King_Pariah Thanks, now it is perfectly clear.

I’m a geek and I married a Dungeon Master level geek. I learned the rules to D & D and would play with him and his buddies.

@tranquilsea That is the cutest thing ever.

@KateTheGreat or really sad depending on who you talk to. But we actually have a lot of fun :-)

I did but most people were not that impressed. Anyway it was okay since I did those things just to prove I can even though it started out just a way to impress.

Not a loved one, but when I lived in Arizona, I taught many Latino kids. I learned some Mexican sign language and polished up my Spanish then had a week where we compared/contrasted ASL, English, MSL and Spanish.

Ping pong ball shot out of my arse, the wife & I are considering playing mixed doubles for the GBR olympic “table tennis” team next summer. Look out for us, we’re the dark horses for gold.