Hobbies and perfectionism problems

I had a plan this year to try and carve some kind of hobby for myself. The plan was to follow several European football teams that I had some faint form of allegiance to. Then, keep track in a diary or something, just to record that the world was actually taking place around me. It felt like a great idea in the summer. Then, like so many of my other ideas, it fell away. I think I suffer from a strain of perfectionism. If I can’t do it really well, I won’t do it at all. My standards are high, and sometimes the enjoyment is in the idea rather than carrying it out. It’s a shame.

The teams were from across Europe. First were the easy ones. Tranmere Rovers and West Ham United. My team and my girlfriend’s team. Then, from France, Paris Saint-Germain and Sannois-SG. I like Paris, and the latter is a local team from a small town I used to pass through.

Then there’s Italy, with Hellas Verona and Napoli the picks from there. Verona because of Tim Parks’ book ‘A Season with Verona’ and Napoli because I like the city – a filthy, cramped, Vespa place that I once visited.

I couldn’t think of anymore. And frankly the ones I did choose were dicey at best. The English teams are easy to follow but with the exception of PSG the others played in second divisions or worse. I speak no Italian, so reading the Italian press was out, and UK papers only cover the bigger teams. That left results from the internet the only alternative and that seemed a bit lame.

The French teams are a little easier as I can manage some French, but whilst I know the teams their players are anonymous. How could I tell it was a good game or if someone had had played well? See, the plan had its drawbacks.

But I liked the idea. And it popped up again as I started watching Italian football on the telly this afternoon. Loads has been written about how significant football matches can be, and how great the experience is of watching a game. For me it was the hour before kick off and the feeling afterwards of seeing things that other people will have to watch highlighted on TV. I miss that a bit. Or do I miss a ticket, programme and a cup of tea for £5?

I could still press on with the plan. I could catch up. I like useless information kept in notebooks. But there is the second problem. The notebook would have to be worthy of such as task – expensive, leather bound, perhaps even pretentious. There are all sorts of these problems on the horizon, and it could be Christmas before I have the proper equipment in place. Maybe an even better plan would be more appropriate for the 2006/07 season?