Hobbies, shmobbies

posted by Jeff | Wednesday, September 14, 2005, 1:49 AM | comments: 1

I had a discussion today about hobbies, and more to the point that I should have more. I'm not so sure.

Obviously if you read my nonsense on here, you know that I am in a constant struggle to figure out how the things I do help define me and my purpose in life. One thing that I've come to believe is that there doesn't have to be a dividing line between "work" and "fun." These two entities I think can and should be part of the same family.

I spend a fair amount of time behind the keyboard. Probably about half of that time is spent doing actual productive "work," whether it's for me or for a contract job. When it's stuff for me, I really enjoy it, and I don't see it as work at all. I don't see myself as needing something else to distract me from it. The only thing I don't like about it is that it's kind of a solitary activity.

Other stuff I do includes a lot of reading, mostly online since that's just more efficient than magazines and such, but I love to read about the tech industry in particular. I like the normal boring stuff as well, like watching movies and listening to music. I can listen to music with my eyes closed for hours. It can be borderline spiritual for me.

Coaching volleyball is a huge part of my life, certainly, and aside from dealing with my own "issues" it's also the most emotionally challenging thing I do. But I love it so much. Even though I bitch about how some days the kids just don't get it the way I want them to, it's worth every second. The relationships you build with the kids are not relationships you can really come by easily any other way. And for the first time in years, I enjoy coaching with another coach.

The things I like to do are very much lifestyle-oriented. I got into broadcast junk because it was fun, and it was always a kind of lifestyle. Coaching is a lifestyle because it's time consuming and requires a lot of you emotionally. Even coding is a lifestyle to a certain extent, because you constantly have to learn and evolve as technology does. But the upside of this lifestyle stuff is that there are some things that I really get off doing that I'm really fucking good at. That makes me happy.

So do I need other hobbies? Well, I don't know that I do. I'm pretty happy right now for the most part, money issues aside. I mean, I assume people take up hobbies because they make them happy, or maybe need the distraction from other things. Others may seek out hobbies as a means of self-discovery, which I totally get. But I kinda like the things I do.

Now, it is important to make the distinction that there's a difference between not going out and trying new things on your own and not doing them with friends, relatives or your spouse. I know for sure that's something that I've failed miserably in with Stephanie. It took years before I went out tent camping with her, and that was lame of me (especially since I loved it). Ditto for going to Medieval Times and the local medieval fair (again, because I loved it). I can be such a stubborn asshole sometimes. That's something I hope I have a chance to work on.

I do want to get back in touch with some things I do for fun though, like photography in particular. I miss video too. Stupid expensive hobbies!


Comments

Stephanie

September 14, 2005, 11:36 AM #

Having hobbies also gives you moments to recharge and start looking at the rest of what you do with a new/different perspective. You can get burned out, even on things you love to do.

And yes, all your hobbies require more money than "normal," hehe. :)


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