my new hobby

For the past few weeks I’ve been doing a WSET Intermediate Wine course in Sweeneys Wine Shop in Glasnevin. The exam is starting to loom ever closer. As close as two weeks to be precise. And in my usual fashion I forgot the reason I started the course in the first place while the more competitive version of myself steps forward. I want the best-why not?! Of course this means that sometimes my goals aren’t reasonable to begin with and I am bitterly disappointed when I don’t get that elusive, in this case, distinction. My friend, upon listening to my mini freak out, said ‘But Niamh it’s just a hobby.’ That’s exactly what it is. So what is my problem? Am I really that competitive? I didn’t think I was that bad. Maybe it’s my middle child syndrome. In an effort now to never admit a flaw I will say that I believe competitiveness is a good thing. In fairness I don’t think you can call in competitiveness when it’s with yourself. No one else I know has done this course before and I’m sure there are more people on the course with a better ability to learn things off by heart and spit them out on the exam paper. It’s just my ‘passion’ or my ‘eagerness’. Hmm I don’t think I’m even convincing myself here. All I know is that I can now plan an evening like this and call it homework:

1 bottle Sauternes
1 block Roquefort
1 packet crackers.

All in the name of tasting and food matching studies. What an amazing hobby?! Screw the exam and bring on the homework.