During a lengthy bout of insomnia last night I began thinking about all the ‘hobby’ type things I would like to try, things that I think I would really enjoy but have not yet attempted. Here is my list in no particular order: photography, rock climbing, knitting (I have tried this once in Year Six at school – we knitted squares for a blanket and I think mine was pretty good I don’t care what the teachers said), shooting, collecting ancient artefacts with a great historical background, art collecting, Tango and Salsa dancing, painting and playing the Spanish guitar (I have had a little experience with an acoustic many years ago).
The closest thing I’ve really had to having a hobby was collecting leads that had fallen out of coloured pencils in Itty Bitty Bins during Year 1. It didn’t seem so strange then when all the kids were doing it and apps to collect them in a virtual world didn’t exist. So I am curious to know about other people’s hobbies – what they are, what kind of commitment they involve, how long they last and why it has been chosen. The most passionate response may just recruit a fellow [insert hobby here].
The Value-Add 
I collect postcards, both in person and asking my friends and to send me postcards when they are out and about (doesn’t have to be on holiday).
I kind of think of it as real world Twitter where you get a snapshot of a person and a place at a certain time in a certain mood.
Collecting postcards is a combination of aesthetics, travelling and communication. It won’t necessarily give you a new skill, but you don’t have to make a serious or expensive commitment to it to get a huge reward.
Postcards are a fabulous thing to collect! Do you keep them in an album? The best thing about postcards is that they usually have such a positive message from people living it up somewhere amazing (albeit while you’re still working and going about daily life!). How many do you have in your collection and do they cover most of the globe yet? Thanks for your comment.
Thank you, Adeline, for my first postcard in my brand spanking new collection and hobby.
Try birding:-) Great fun, competitive, interesting, exciting, gets you out, aware, etc.
Alan
Thanks Alan – what exactly do you do when you go birding? I know it’s about bird watching and spotting but can you please explain the up close and personal experience? Where do you go? Thanks!
I’m in a book club. It’s very easy and you get to drink wine and eat copious amounts of cheese and group get togethers 🙂
That sounds like my kind of hobby – especially the cheese and wine part, oh and the reading part. Although I may need to up the ante on the reading!
Take care. Thank you. I will be back.
Its like you read my mind! You seem to know a lot about this, like you wrote the book in it or something. I think that you can do with some pics to drive the message home a little bit, but other than that, this is fantastic blog. A great read. I’ll certainly be back.