Get A Hobby

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Recently an online friend announced that she wanted to try out a new hobby and that she was debating between two options. I'm guessing I probably seemed like the ideal person to ask because I had similar hobbies. I didn't end up helping my friend to decide, but she has inspired me to write a bit of a guide for people who are interested in trying new hobbies.

I've always had a lot of hobbies and I've always felt like the world would be a happier place if people spent a little bit of time every now and then doing the things that they love. I think that hobbies can keep young people from getting into trouble (In the movies it always works) and that people who always need a cause to serve may actually just be in need of a hobby. Hobbies do not need to be restricting, difficult or costly and I will include a list of guidelines about how to ensure that hobbies don't become any of those things.

^These are some of my favourite things to do. There's reading, drawing, singing/playing guitar, crochet, dancing and blogging.

LEVELS OF ACHIEVEMENT:
I think the one thing that scares most people more than anything about starting something new is the possibility that they won't be very good at it. I feel like people are becoming more and more critical of each other and themselves, And, that because of this they are less likely to try new things. The thing with hobbies is that depending on what the hobby is and how you choose to proceed with it, you can choose how quickly you learn/ the level of difficulty.

You think I'm fabulous at all of those hobbies? Nope. I just enjoy them. I've never read more than 72 books in one year, I only really know about ten chords on the guitar, I mainly crochet squares/towel toppers, I am not a very flexible dancer and I still read old blog posts that have scary typos in them. I think I'm the best at art  (out of all of my hobbies) and while I'm still critical of my artworks I know that I have made achievements with it.

RESTRICTIONS:
Hobbies can become restricting in regards to life and the way you choose to progress with your hobby can restrict you from exploring different aspects of it. I know a lot of people don't have hobbies (or have many hobbies) because the netball schedule or scrap-booking class interferes with work/family commitments. I think it all comes down to how you choose to do your hobby ( Is "Do" even the right word? ).

 If you choose to take a DIY approach you can escape most restrictions, but depending on the hobby and your experience in the Field not having a mentor may not be practical. You can learn a lot from books and the Internet in regards to more crafty hobbies while active hobbies probably require some sort of trainer because of safety etc. Mentors can tend to push you towards a certain ideal which can either open you up to new options or close you off to others.

EXPENSES:
I think another thing that scares a lot of people away from pursuing a hobby is the high cost of participating. Costs could include the cost of a trainer, membership fees, materials, equipment etc. If you take a DIY approach and shop around for materials or equipment you can save a lot of money. Some hobbies require one or two payments for the lifetime of the hobby while other hobbies require a constant string of payments as you go.

Knitting for example requires the cost of knitting needles (I think you can get a pack from a $2 for cheap), scissors and possible a knitting book if you don't have someone to show you how. These costs are all usually a once off, but as you continue to knit you will need to continue to purchase wool and patterns.

Playing an instrument will cost differently depending on the type of instrument. A guitar for example will probably cost more than  knitting needles and I would advise that you get some pics and a battery operated tuner as well, but those are really the only costs as most tabs and chords are free online.

Some of the cheapest hobbies are reading (all you need is a library card), playing the harmonica (you can buy a pretty decent one for less than ten Australian dollars and drawing (with lead pencil).

TIPS:

1. You don't have to be perfect at chosen hobby. Enjoyment should be compulsory.
2. Don't push yourself to reach unrealistic goals.
3. If you have limited spare time or think you may have difficulty meeting a schedule you might want to take a DIY approach.
4. Consider the cost of the hobby if you have limited funds.
5. If you aren't really sure about what you want to do search the Internet or have a look in your newspaper for upcoming classes.
6. If your hobby is going to be expensive you may want to have a trial run before investing. 
7. Have Fun!

Hope you enjoyed my post and that it gave you a few ideas.

Your Favourite Blogger,

Natalie

Things People Say That I Think About

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It is election time in Australia. There are a fair few people that are fired up by this.  Hearing some of the weird things people say during election time makes me think about other weird things people say and it makes me want to write a musings post. The things I would say (and some times do attempt to say) to these people if I could be bothered.  I also decided to include a picture of a cat, because what good is the Internet if you can't enjoy cute cats.

"Politics are stupid"
So many people decide during election time that they just hate politics altogether. They think it's all rubbish and either don't cast a vote (aren't enrolled) or "fake it". YOUR VOTE MATTERS! Politicians may be stupid, but politics as a whole most definitely is not. Casting a vote could mean the difference between having to pay new taxes or where government funding will go.

Casting a vote also shouldn't be based on someone else's opinion. It's easy to be influenced by parents or friends or even famous people, but it's important that you actually know what you are voting for. Some politicians could win a personality contest hands-down. However, you are not here to have a drink with them. You are actually voting for a Party rather than a person. Because as history shows the PM isn't always going to be the same person through the duration of their reign.

If you are unsure there are things like Vote Compass (google it) designed to help you decide what you want or for a little bit more information try looking up policies for each party online. Also remember that with a minority or independent party that they will most likely have to preference a major party which means that their vote will be transferred to that party. I have tried to keep this unbiased if you're interested in what I think you can pop over  to my Tumblr page  for a squiz at my rants.

"I don't like old music"
A lot of young people say this and it really bothers me. Music is an art form developed  over time by a person's influences. It had to start somewhere, And, if you were to cut out  the older tunes from existence the newer ones may perish too. I understand that we all have different tastes and whatnot, but you can guarantee that the same person that says "The 90s was so lame" will be listening to Nirvana on repeat when grunge comes back into fashion.

Teeny-boppper bands would not have existed had there been no Elvis or no Beatles, And, don't even get me started on the number of covered songs that made it to the top of the charts. "Time of My Life" was an 80s song, "One Way or Another" also an 80s song. So, the old music thing... I understand if it's not your thing, but you aren't really allowed to "hate it" if you appreciate any sort of music.

"I wish I could do that"
I have a lot of hobbies and I'm not afraid to admit that I'm bad at some of them, but sometimes I will do something that I think is really average or mediocre (a simple crocheted beret  pattern for example) gets a good wrap and an envious "I wish I could do that" and sometimes it bothers me. For some of us the grass is almost always greener on the other side and you've just got to learn to appreciate your own talents. However, some of us just haven't really bothered to explore any hobbies for fear that you might not be successful or because of cost. If you are worried about embarrassing yourself there are many ways to acquire new skills without even leaving the house. Online tutorials and How-to books can leave you more informed than having lessons can.

"Companies are grubs" or "Small Businesses are greedy"
Why is it that people think that all Business owners large or small are out to make a massive profit so that they can live in a penthouse apartment and throw dollars at people to get what they want? Unless you are employed by the government or earn your money through welfare benefits you have to admit that your income is the result of a job at one of these businesses or from being self-employed. Companies and Small businesses provide employment for a lot of people. Without them where would these people work?

And, the people who run these businesses aren't just out to make a quick buck. Some people are just happy making enough money to survive and find that working for themselves just works out better for them. It's also a lot of paperwork.

OK, RANT OVER....
Hopefully I will have some happier, typical-quirky style posts for you soon!

Your Favourite Blogger,
Natalie

A Hobby or Two

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I think I'm what you call impressionable. I often see something (normally something of a creative or imaginative nature) and find myself attempting it a short time later. It could be the line in a song, a music video or a character in a movie that gets me started on a tangent. I learn about it and I add my own flair. I don't know what it is about me, but I find myself collecting hobbies all the time.

 

It wasn't such a strange thing in the Victorian era for someone to have a fair few hobbies. Women were taught to play piano and draw and read and sing. But, now if I care to list all that I do with my time I fear the people I meet may think of me as a try-hard, an over-achiever, an intimidating little witch... The thing is though, that I'm not great at all of the things that I do, and I know it. I'm not in airy-fairy land, I just do things that I enjoy regardless of how well I do them, And, I stay behind closed doors when I do.

 

When I told someone that I had learned to  play the guitar (and I made a point of saying not well), they wanted to introduce me to electric and base and a whole bunch of brilliant guitar players that I could aspire to one day share the ranks (or the bar) with. Don't get me wrong, I love playing my acoustic guitar, but that love doesn't extend past a few easy chord progressions involving "open" chords. Is it so strange to want to stay at a certain level - to not excel any further? After all, hobbies are for enjoying...

 

Along with playing the guitar (quite basically) I play the keyboard (with even less skill), I paint and draw pictures (have you seen the background photo for my blog?), I attempt to dance in the contemporary style (I took 9 years worth of dance classes, trust me, they don't count for much as far as technique is concerned...), I like to read books (obviously), sew/crochet when I feel like it and generally become infatuated with certain movie stars or musicians to the point that they fill up my tumblr (but, no I don't get their names tattooed on my bottom). And, then there are other things that, well, I don't even know if they are hobbies. Is a website a hobby? Is the concept of "vintage" a hobby?

 

So as you can probably guess, I spend an awful lot of time doing things I'd like to be doing, rather than having to be doing. But, it's probably less time than you think, after all, I'm not focusing on them too hard. One afternoon I might say "Oh, I'll play the guitar today", and that could last anywhere from 5 minutes to an hour depending on the mood I'm in. But, what annoys me is when I hear people talking about not having enough time for hobbies, or even worse, pretending there is no such thing.

 

I work in a customer service position, so I overhear an awful lot of conversations. There are two conversations that I often hear that bother me:

 

1. "She won't know what to do with herself now that she isn't working?"

2. "Aren't you going to have any more kids? Won't you get lonely?"

 

Let me firstly make it clear that I do not have anything against women that want to have a large family, that is fine, that is their choice. I don't have any problems with older women who decide to work provided they actually need the money. What bothers me, is when an older woman gets a job for the sake of having something to do. Or when older people think that the mother of a small family will get bored when her children go to school. Do hobbies not exist?

 

If you need something to do, but have a fair bit of money saved up, or a husband with a high income, then go work in a charity store. They need volunteers. Get a library card. Hire out some movies, attend a baking class, get a personal trainer, go bowling or learn how to recover sofas. Surely there is something out there for you to do, where you won't take a job away from someone who genuinely needs one. And as for mothers of soon-to-be school age children or the people who are judging them, there are hobbies out there. The Mother could go back to work if she wishes, further her education, stay at home and start a scrap-booking album, buy a dog...

 

Obviously the thing about having so many hobbies is that you have to sometimes choose between the things you want to do and the things you need to do. Often the To-do-list gets forgotten and I end up on the computer instead of actually cleaning my room, or doing the dishes, or giving the dog a bath.

 

There are a few other pros and cons in regards to having a few hobbies. I think that my hobbies. My wanting to watch a new retro movie or episode of charmed at night, my plans to finish that book and write about it, effect my ability to socialize with people outside of my house and computer. I'm not a very social person, and this adds to that.

 

On the other hand, not socializing works out very cheap for me. A fair few people have said to me about how they wish they could save money like I do. It's simple. I live with my parents (rent is cheaper than board and bills), I don't go to the movies that often (unless it's for a major film), I don't go out and drink, I don't go out and eat takeaway, And, I am very particular about what I buy and what I pay for. Most of this, is because I'd rather be reading or dancing or painting, and the money to support those hobbies is less than what I'd need to pay to socialize.

 



 

Your Favourite Blogger,
Natalie