“Maybe You Just Need Something Fun to Do…”

I get that a lot.

Most everyone has a hobby. At least one, right? At least if they really thought about it. These are the things that make us who we are, that carve out our personality and make us unique from the masses that bookend us in our day to day lives.

Lately, I’ve come to discover that most of my hobbies have been put out to pasture due to a lack of time in my routine. I’ve decided, cue the drumroll, that this isn’t okay. In fact, it’s completely unacceptable. I’m an interesting person, I am. Well, at least…I’d like to be. If ever I’m asked the question (and sometimes I am!), “What do you like to do in your spare time?” the answer, at least in my head, is generally, “what spare time?” Then I try to carve out something cooler to say in the moment.

This whole thing is my fault.

I’ve overbooked my schedule a bit. But now it’s time to reassess. Lately, I’ve been thinking about some of the things I used to do for fun and also some of the activities I wish I did for fun in the hopes of sparking a more enjoyable existence.

Here’s what I’ve come up with.

Skateboarding. I realize I’m too old for this. No need to point it out. But there was a time in my youth when I was actually pretty amazing on a board. At age twelve, I could drop in from a full sized half pipe and make the boys who said I couldn’t eat their words with a toss of my blonde ponytail. It was always a nice moment.

Mystery Shopping. You think I jest, but my sister’s husband works for a company who sends these shoppers into the world and often needs folks to hit up nearby establishments in secret. I’ve yet to volunteer but hope to do so one day soon. I can be entirely covert when called upon and will even supply my own newspaper with the eyes holes cut out. I can’t lose.

Scenic Driving. I own a convertible that’s entirely underused. This is the time of year that I should be out in the world seeing the sights, top down, open to what the world has to offer. I can imagine on these drives that I might come to the aid of a few citizens in distress. Save a puppy, do a good deed, buy some Girl Scout Cookies before flying out of there to see the wild flowers by the side of the highway. People out there need my convertible and me.

Bowling. I was a Junior European Bowling Champion in 1989. This is the truth. By the time I was fourteen I was rolling 260’s and had a really nice trophy collection. Sadly, I was also completely burned out and moved on to sports with racquets. This has always been a sore spot for me. If I had stuck with it I might have achieved crazy amounts of bowling fame. I always dream that one day I’ll pick it up again…Look out, world.

Wine Pouring. Yeah, I said it. If you’ve ever gone wine tasting, you’ll know that there is an individual in the tasting room who’s job it is to pour the wine and offer you some insight as to the tasting notes of the varietal. Listen, I need to be this person. I’m not sure what they’re paid, but in all honesty, I don’t care, as I would do this job for free. There’s something about that one-ounce pour and the information that follows that I find so regal, so relevant, so ridiculously cool. It’s empowerment for the pourer. Or at least I imagine it would be. I practice in my kitchen. A lot.

Oh, and I wouldn’t mind figuring out how to get those tiny ships in the bottle. But that’s just bonus.

I could go on and on but it seems I already have a lot to get started on.

What hobbies do you wish you had more time for?