I have this chunk of metal sitting on my desk with only the words “What would you do if you knew you could not fail?” engraved on it (much like the one pictured here). It’s a quote by Robert H. Schuller from the mid 1900s. The piece is solid, and its weight feels good in my hand. I sort of commandeered it during the chaos when the travel agency I worked for was sold and the work was shipped off to India. A lot of things were scavenged during that time of clean up and goodbyes. We just recently ran out of a case of packing tape and box of trash can liners, and the business has been closed down now for about four years… but I digress, as usual.
After my last post which asked, “What do you do when you’re alone?”, I started thinking about my hobbies. Reading, music, movies and now writing. Aren’t those the same hobbies as nearly everyone else in the world? I mean, who doesn’t like music and movies? Those aren’t hobbies, those are interests. I’m not quite sure what my hobbies are, so I made a short list of things I’d like to do or learn to do.
I’d like to:
- Learn to draw beautifully. (Six years of Industrial Design did nothing for my non-drafting skills.)
- Take a Photoshop class.
- Learn SCUBA diving.
- Participate in a creative writing seminar.
- Build a house. (I’ll always be an architect at heart.)
- Live in a Barnes & Noble with a coffee shop in back. ;)
Before even finishing the list, I realized learning is actually my hobby. Vague, maybe. Broad, yes. But it’s what I do when I have spare time. I read textbooks, I take classes, I search the web for answers. Even when I’m watching movies and listening to music I’m soaking in knowledge of time periods, character types and personalities, sound combinations, accents, hairstyles and clothes.
There is a constant stream of information that bombards us all the time, and there are several ways to deal with that onslaught. You can let it beat against you and stress you out, or you can welcome it and learn from it. Sure there are days when it’s too much, and we just can’t deal with it all. Hell, I recently had an entire week of that, but more often than not I not only welcome it, but I find myself looking for more. One piece of information prompts questions that need answers, and I search them out. That is my hobby.
Your hobby is a good one, then. Never, ever stop learning. Never stop questioning the status quo, either, for that is how change, growth, come about.
All of these things you have listed, you can do. Even the Barnes & Noble thing.
Funny, one of the things I plan to do is to own a cafe. On an island. With a writing studio up on the second floor, for that ocean view.
What would I do if I knew I could not fail? If you’ve heard of that “garbage island” in the middle of the Pacific Ocean – I’d lead an operation to clean it up.
Yeah.
Nicole,
Are you my long lost twin?
You just summed me up. Yes. Learning is my hobby. All kinds of learning. Down one rabbit hole and then the next. :)
@Brett I love the island writing studio plan. I may even have to steal it… and add a coffee shop. ;)
@Wendi I could be. I am adopted. ;) Oh I like that analogy. See, I should use those more often.
@Nicole – please feel free to steal it! I can show you a picture of where it will be some time.
Strange where these ideas originate. I have a killer brainstorm / mindmap session from time to time, and it is amazing how they always seem to link up and relate back to the same few things.
I believe it to be a sign…
-Brett
@Brett I woulod love to see a picture. Bring it on. :)
Well, I see one item that you can cross off your list relatively quickly.
SCUBA is much easier than you think.
Check out the local dive shops or scuba club (there’s always one in every town). You can learn within a few weeks, just within the local community swimming pool. (That’s what I did).
Actually, I think it was more difficult learning to drive a car!
@Friar Hi there! I think what’s always held me back from taking a SCUBA class is simply the fact that no one I know wants to do it with me. I’m surrounded by a bunch of Gremlins apparently (don’t get them wet!).
It’s beginning to look like I’ll have to go it alone. I know I know, I’ll meet people there and it’ll be great. Did I mention I’m a hermit, and meeting people is not something I look forward to? ;)
But yes! I *should* just do it. It’s on my list for a reason after all. (I feel another post coming on…)
I love the question engraved on the bar in the photo! I so need to stick that up somewhere. If I knew I couldn’t fail, I’d pay more attention to my next novel, write a few more short stories, and focus on building my new Internet-based business…
Oh wait, that’s what I’m doing right now. Yay me! LOL
The blogs of the Escaping Reality crew are seriously awesome and I’m going to enjoy reading more!
Cheers,
Alex
@Alex
Way to go! So few people actually follow through on that, so it’s nice to know people are out there chasing the dream. Yay you!
Aren’t there some great bloggers in our little bunch? It amazes me sometimes, and they’re all so.. nice! Ha, not that bloggers aren’t nice in general, but ya know… I didn’t expect that so much. :)
I really liked this. You are right – it is a nice bunch of bloggers – I am surprised how nice everyone is (my initial entry into a fandom website was so cruel, turned me off to all this stuff for months).
Your list is my list – especially living in the Barnes and Noble, I would’ve gone today except we’ve bad weather. I do draw, though, and took Photoshop too far back; I do prefer it to all the other programs.
I disagree on everybody having those hobbies – when I am writing somewhere (or reading) and people are just sitting there staring at me or others I feel bad for them that maybe for some reason they cannot read/write/express themselves or get lost in a good book.
Hello Mr. Elfman (you’re lucky I know who you really are).;)
Some people don’t have books as best friends?!?! Oh the horror! Actually, until the past couple years, Dad only ever read a book if it was about the Great Lakes, shipwrecks or some other kind of boating story. Finally Mum (an avid reader) got him started on some author (Patterson I think), and now he actually reads! We’re all so proud. ;)
Nicole,
I’ll dig it up this weekend (apologies for the late response, I didn’t forget…)
-Brett
I thank my lucky stars I know who you really are – you are so talented. I was wondering if your Dad would like similar authors. My friend’s mother got me interested in Donald Westlake (and I heard him speak once) – but I never finished one of his books; many are quite humorous mysteries and I wish they’d make films out of them.
Hooray for reading! Oh, and thank you – I learned what Niebu meant after seeing it in your writings. Hooray for hooraying! Now I must go not write another film score. :)
In that case, niebu Mr. Elfman. Good luck on that non-writing thing. ;)
Nicole- Very cool. we could seriously spend some quality time…drawing….one of my favorite things to do. And learning, never going to give that up…islands, yep…love those too. Now I am like Alex, I want one of those nice metal bars with that line printed on it too.
Cool stuff, Nicole. :)
@Janice Thanks for stopping by and chiming in. Maybe I should pass the metal bar along to the next person who may need it more than I do? Maybe it could make the rounds and somehow find its way full circle. What do you think? :)
That could be a little bit of very good good karma… might be a virtual bar possiblity too. I mentally transferred that image to a current endeavor. Taht’s kind of like those Traveling Pants isn’t it. I think that is what that movie is about.. shared good luck charm. :-)
@Janice I’m trying to wrap my mind around a way to make that work. Fun! :)
When is we gonna read you again; you are missed!!!