I do not need another hobby
September 21, 2012
I went to the Denver Gem and Mineral Show last weekend for the first time. I’d been wanting to go for years, but something else always came up, SCA event or convention or whatnot. Well, this year I went, and walked out muttering to myself, I do not need another hobby. Between knitting and costuming and birdwatching and gaming I already have more hobbies than I can keep up with (I haven’t gamed regularly in a couple of years…my dice are rusty, dammit!). I do not need to start rock hounding, even though I live in a brilliant rock hounding state and bought a Colorado rock hounding book before I left the show. I can love sparklies — and essentially, a gem and mineral show is all about the sparklies in both their pre and post sparklie form — without, you know, being obsessive, right? The other mantra of the day: use the beads I have before I buy more, use the beads I have before I buy more. Because yes, there’s another hobby I’ve already started that I really should spend more time with before I start yet another hobby. But come on, tell me this stuff isn’t just so awesome! Pretty things made by the planet itself. LOVE.
Did I mention I was two classes away from minoring in geology in college? I took the first class because it was available and fulfilled a science requirement. I took the others because I loved hiking around and looking at rocks so very much.
The show also had fossils. FOSSILS!
I do not need another hobby, I do not need another hobby. . .
September 21, 2012 at 9:29 am
It’s too late now, you already have it. Sorry.
September 21, 2012 at 9:57 am
The key is to leave behind the old hobbies…says the woman with supplies for at least her last 6-7 hobbies in the storage bins.
September 21, 2012 at 11:24 am
I love rocks. Whenever I go someplace with amazing scenery, I look at the scenery for a few mintues, then my eyes naturally end up on the ground looking for cool rocks. However, when I went to the gem and mineral show a few years ago, I discovered I do not love rocks nearly as much as those people do! Holy crap are there a lot of rocks there. And people who know *everything* about them.
My dice are also rusty. But did you know they have dice made out of rock? http://www.gmdice.com/dice-sets/stone-dice-sets
You could combine hobbies!
September 21, 2012 at 2:40 pm
I understand. I actually didn’t like geology in college, but after teaching 6th grade geology for three years in a row, I appreciate minerals, crystals, and rocks much more. And my kids *love* going to the rock store and rock shows.
September 21, 2012 at 2:53 pm
Just last weekend, while volunteering at the zoo, I found they had a temporary exhibition on dinosaur fossils. I took one look at it and told my superiors, “If you need any help with that particular area, count me in. Because that assortment of fossils was like Candyland for me.”
September 21, 2012 at 4:44 pm
Ammonite pretty!
We used to go fossil hunting on holiday in Dorset (now known as ‘The Jurassic Coast’) when I was a kid. Probably my oldest possession is a small fossilised bivalve I found on the unadopted road by the side of our house; I was having a bad day and went out to hit the rocks on the road with a hammer, then there it was.
September 21, 2012 at 4:50 pm
This is how it usually goes for me: “I do not need another hobby. I do not need another hobby, I do not need….ooooo! pretty!!”
September 24, 2012 at 10:37 am
There are hobbies and there are interests. Can you keep an insterest from becoming a hobby.