I'm questioning my hobbies. The number one reason we have hobbies is to meet new people in my opinion. I list my hobbies with comments.
*Japanese Anime. I started in 1996. Anime has grown in me. I watch anime, read comic books (manga), attend conventions, and wear costumes (cosplay).
*Working Out At The Gym. Being physically fit is important to me. I workout three days a week.
*Hiking. My newest hobby. I have been hiking once a month; unfortunately, I didn't in Jan and Feb because of rain and school.
*Music. Classic rock, classical music, classic jazz.
*Video Games. The longest hobby starting with the ATARI. The video game I play are classic arcade such as Gauntlet II and TF2 (Team Fortress 2), my only video game I play on the internet.
*Books. I prefer fiction; however, I read a good nonfiction. I have not read books recently because I'm catching up with anime.
*Cooking. I have enough skills to survive. I lack skills for good tasting food.
*Board Games. Any board game I'm interested in playing. I include MahJong and casino craps. I haven't played poker in a long time.
*Dancing. I started in Jan 2009 with lessons from my sister. I'm taking classes at De Anza.
*Movies. I have a small DVD collection. I got a renewed interest in movies in 2009.
*Sports. I follow the football and baseball headlines. I follow little basketball and hockey. I know enough to at least understand a conversation.
*Television. I watch little TV.
What Are Your Feelings?
I feel I have too many hobbies. I'm not an "expert" or "advanced." I'm a casual at this. I'm a beginner at that. For example, video games. I love video games. I'm neither an expert where I win competitions nor an expert who follows video game current events. I'm not an expert to give a good opinion.
Anime is another example. I watch anime and read manga. I don't memorize the voice actors and actresses. My cosplays are not award winning. I haven't purchased an anime CD in a long time. I attend two anime conventions. No more. My manga collection is small.
Automobiles is another example. I didn't list above because I know little about cars. I like taking care of my car. I maintain my car to the best of what I know. I want to learn more.
What Else Are You Feeling Strongly?
I'm lonely. I have friends and I know people who relate to most of my hobbies. I'm missing the people in my life who relate to my hobbies closer. I'm missing the people with a closer connection. Don't get me wrong. The friends and acquaintances I get along well and I appreciate their friendship and the time spent with me. It's just I'm the lowest common denominator.
Maybe It's Who You Are, Not What You Know
Good thought. Who you are is more important than what you know. Perhaps I'm scaring people from interacting with me or perhaps I'm scared from interacting with them. I'm not attracting people. Or maybe for 35 years I fail to find people closest to me for long-term friendship.
What Lesson Your Hobbies Fail To Teach You?
Desire. Everyday I see people doing what they do best. I consider myself not an expert in all my hobbies. I didn't have the desire to be advanced, to be an expert, to be "wow, that guy is good." I started a hobby, got excited, and then the excitement stops. I lost interest to continue learning the hobby. I did the bare minimum. Why? It must be I have too many hobbies and I have nobody to share my hobbies.
What Hobbies Do You Quit To Spend Time On Others?
The answer is anime. I have been losing interest in anime. Moreover, anime is a hobby that's least likely to help me find a new job, help me earn income, help me learn life skills. Ironically and in all honestly, anime has taught me a few life lessons. And most of my friends are anime fans.
*thought* I just realized eventually I'm going to find new friends who relate to me closer to my current friends. That's sad. That's life. I want to reiterate the guys I hang out with for the last four years are great guys. These guys are important because without them, I'm truly lonely.
Remember You Wanted To Be A Jack-Of-All-Trades?
I remember. I wanted to be a jack-of-all-trades for all my hobbies. I don't consider myself that because there is a point in my hobbies I lose the desire to learn more. Maybe it's because I have too many hobbies and not enough time? Maybe I found a better hobby? I believe there's a better answer. I need to find the answer and move forward.
The Answer Is Simply Time
Possibly. Everyone has 24 hours each day. We can't be an expert in everything professionally and recreationally. Another possibly is what I said, "Maybe I found a better hobby?" I start learning and doing the new hobby and I spend less time on other hobbies. I feel sad I stop doing a hobby I really enjoy. I want to keep doing that hobby even if I spend less time. I don't want to quit that hobby. If I quit, then I lose most of my friends, and most of my friends are anime fans. I don't have time to be an expert in all my hobbies. I just said time. Can a person be an expert in all hobbies—even if the person has, say, at least ten? I think about time in another blog entry.
I Continue To Innovate Innovating Common Knowledge
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1 comment:
Some serious thoughts here, and I can tell they're very honest. I don't think that having too many hobbies is a problem - more like, it's the natural result of not yet having found something you really love. Instead you end up spending time doing a lot of different things you really like.
I don't think you have to find any one thing you really love, though. I know I don't have just one! I think lots of people never find just one thing that's most important to them. You don't have to be depressed about not having an "X Factor" as long as you enjoy the journey of searching out new ones.
That said, feeling down once in a while isn't a bad thing. It often prompts you to be more productive and to think through real tough problems. See this article: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/28/magazine/28depression-t.html
You don't need to stop hanging out with the friends you have now - but for those interests you have that your friends don't share, you should find more friends to share those things with so you can enjoy them more. You'll probably never find a single person who shares all of your hobbies - you can just hope to find people who share some of them. But just as important is whether or not you also can get along with them as people aside from their hobbies. That's the harder part, I think.
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