what interests you?

Another post in here (when I was asking Meredithbead to tell us EVERYTHING she does) sparked the idea for this post.

Anyone interested in sharing what you do in your free time?

I'll go first:

When I'm not working I'm with my family first and foremost.

My hubby is off Wednesdays and we try to spend most of the day together while the kids are at school.

I typically have a house full of teenagers that I feed, talk with, truck around town to skate parks, malls, movies, etc. I watch soccer games and swim meets. I miss seeing my older son play his sports now that he is in college!

Then I spend time with my Dad and my older sister.

I spend time with my/our friends.

I love people and enjoy having them to our house. I like to feed people too!

I enjoy connecting people that I believe can serve one another in some way.

I read the Bible, journal, and pray daily. I believe firmly in self improvement.

I love to walk, read, garden, and take hot baths.

I enjoy cooking/baking and taking care of my home. I don't like doing laundry or emptying the dish washer!

I attend a weekly prayer group, another weekly non-denominational group study, and a book study with my husband on Sunday morning. I go to church each week.

I am on the PTA Board at my daughter's school and do what I'm asked to do... for the most part.

While I do what I can to help with youth at church, I must confess that I just gave up the Sunday school superintendent job. Now I do whatever I can to help our Director of Christian Ed in other ways. I love youth and have offered to lead a 6:30 am Bible study during the week, but I'm still waiting to hear on that. I'm passionate about sharing my faith with kids. They need it so badly in today's world.

My favorite recent project that came to an end last spring was convincing Baltimore County to put in free skate parks for our youth. I chaired the committee for two and a half years and the kids now have three wonderful parks to skate! The county spent $750,000.00 on these parks. I loved working with the kids on the commmittee. They were awesome!

That's about what I spend my time doing. I feel funny talking about myself so much, but I think it's a good thing for us to share what we are up to!

[ October 09, 2003, 09:08 AM: Message edited by: Dotsie ]

Spare time? what's that? ha!

Let's see...you know I write whenever I get spare time, so I guess that is my biggee...

I also do a lot of research for future articles

I absolutely LOVE jigsaw puzzles and they have always been a part of my life. I worked them, glue them, frame them, then give them away as a gift and also give them to charities such as "Safe Place" and other places that have shelters for children. I try to choose theme puzzles like Mickey Mouse, Amy Geddes that would appeal to children. I do a lot of Elivs, Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, etc. for others.

I volunteer for things like United Way (am on that chair now) and Alzheimers Association and National Children's Advocacy (I am very active in this one).

I send cards to alot of older women I know who are shut in and try to think of people who don't have many close contacts and would be surprised to get a card. This is fun and very rewarding! Try it.

I jounal a lot. I also try to think of creative things to get involve in or create. My mind is never still. Thank goodness!

I read, read, read...five books going on now. I haven't even gotten our Book Club book yet...ouch!

I come here...for friendship, support, give support, and hugs...

I work on my secret project...pay me and I'll tell you about it. Okay...I'll give you the name...Ride N Read...that's it. The rest will cost you. Just joshing...when it's done, you will be the first to know.

I read the Bible and seek to know HIM better and closer...this is the most important thing going on in my life, now and forever!

Hugs and blessing to all...

Hmmm....let's see......

I write for/edit/and produce my church's newsletter.

I'm taking a writing course, so I work on that when I can.

I attend church every Sunday - I'm on the Altar Guild so about once a month its my turn to set up and clean. I'm also a Eucharistic Assistant so I help serve communion.

I try to read my Bible daily and right now am working through Beth Moore's online bible study "Living Beyond Yourself".

In the summer I poke around in my garden, and love to sit outside on my deck by my pond.

I love to read and have a stack of books to get through.

I have two boys, one's 10 and one's 14, Mr. Night and Mr. Day as far as personalities and temperments - one's in grade 5, the other's in high school so often evenings are spent helping with homework and making sure its getting done!

I'm totally owerawed by the amount of stuff you ladies cram in...

For me, I'm working full time so a normal week will see me helping students of all ages use the library; keeping 34 computers functioning; dealing with staff issues and budget issues and last week I built a human sized cage in which to serve coffee as a promotion for refugee week next week.

After spending all day away from them I try and give the rest of my time to baby daughter and teenage sons. Oh, yes, the husband too. This means that at the moment I'm not doing much in the way of other activities that I used to do, except the odd writing seminar or writer's group meeting.

I'm managing some writing but not a lot.
The stack of books beside my bed keeps growing but I haven't much time to read anymore
Theortetically I'm at church on Sunday mornings but often sleep is top priority! and I know He understands. One day I will be able to be active in the church music ministry again...are there any other musicians/singers/songwriters out there?
That's the other thing I do when I can, tinkle about on the piano.
When possible I escape to the beach with the family, and find walking and swimming very restorative. Actually I could use a walk beside the waves right now...

OK, OK, y'all are making me feel guilty about not answering, especially since MY NAME was dropped here....

I'm a jewelry designer, beadwork and semi-precious gemstones. Weekends I'm always selling at craft fairs. My creations are also in several local galleries and a few shops. Usually I sell locally but I've driven up to 8 hours for a show. I also have a (very) small amount of business from my website. I'm looking into selling on ebay but so far haven't moved on it. During the week I make my jewelry. I've been doing this forever.

For 3 1/2 years now: once a week I teach a free exercise class for breast cancer survivors, a wholistic mix of stretching, balancing, and weight training. In addition to nutrition and physiology, I read much of the available research on relevant medical issues. We often discuss these in the class. I also mentor newly-diagnosed patients.

I'm the Poet Laureate of Placentia Library District, and on the Library program committee. I've put in a ridiculous amount of research, planning and publicity to get this program going. I estimate at least 500 hours -- which sounded absurd to me too, but I kept going over this number and it's probably correct. A lot of this time also went into research etc. for my Library website which is still under construction. I started working on all this in January, was appointed Poet Laureate July 1, and got officially inaugurated 2 weeks ago. Right now I'm working on curricula for the Teen Poetry workshop which I lead.

Now for the stuff you didn't know yet ---

I play at least 5 games of online scrabble every day if I'm not at a craft show. I belong to an online scrabble club and in September won the elimination tournament that started in July.

I've been weight lifting since 1976 and go to the gym 2 or 3 times a week. I also go hiking in local hills and mountains every few weeks except May-September when it's too blasted hot. I've hiked US and Canadian Rockies, Australia's Mount Warning, and a ton of smaller elevations. I love climbing. I hate coming down.

I've written between 25-35 poems and essays each year since 1998. I have 3 self-published books and my work is in regional and national anthologies, in addition to a lot online. I attend 4-6 poetry readings per month and 2 critique groups. I've been the featured poet at many venues.

I watch everything sci-fi and read it in my spare time,which of late has been non-existant.

I make time to see my friends. I go out to lunch or dinner almost every week, and museums maybe 4-5 times a year. I hate shopping.

I have chronic migraines, every several weeks and lasts for 3-8 days. I've tried 4000 alleged cures which have not worked in varying degrees. I recently started acupuncture. I've probably wasted at least 2 years of my life being sick with this.

I love my yard but don't have much time for it, so I xeriscape. Everything is overgrown. Some of my cactus is 20 feet high. Today I ate an avocado from a tree I planted.

I collect unique arts and crafts, ethnic and one-of-a-kind. I buy maybe one piece a year, usually on my travels. I've been to 11 countries and can say hello and thank you in over 20 languages.

About 3 years ago I started repainting the interior of my house. 1 room has a 20' ceiling, another 15'. I'm a little over 1/2 done. I hope to finish at least 2 more rooms this winter, when I have more time. Whichever century I finish painting, I'll retile both the upstairs bathrooms. Don't hold your breath.

My domestic skills are questionable.

I've been married for 187 years, most of it unhappy. Very long story, and I'm tired of talking about it. However, it's in a lot of my poetry.

Ad it's 2am, and I've been writing this for well over an hour, which I knew would happen, which is why I haven't replied sooner.

If I REALLY had an award...Meredith gets it...hands down....

does her post make you tired or what?

That girl has done everything! Okay, I'm jealous...sue me...I like the part about being domestically challenged...at least we have THAT in common. Good grief!

JJ, My mom also did the puzzle thing when I was a kid. Unfortunately I didn't sit still long enough to do too many. I was always outside running around. However I do recall it being a place where my sisters and all the nieghborhood kids stopped when they were in the house. Looking back, I wish I ahd spent more time there. It was a great place to share stories!

I also like your idea of sending cards. For Lent I tried sending a card a day to start a new habit, but it didn't quite work. I need to try that habit again.

Also, I'm still waiting to hear about that Ride and Read project. When are you going to reveal that to your buddies in here?

Evie, I also have a Mr. Night and Mr. Day with a daughter in between who is also her own child. I love it though 'cause it keeps me on my toes.

Two of our three children are adopted and there's no figurin' what is environmental and what's biological here. My older son has the very allergies as my hubby. My daughter has Type II Diabetes and my hubby has Type I. They are the adopted children...go figure! I tease my husband that he must have an Asian hotty running around taht I don't know about. The kids are adopted from Korea!

Julie, I want you to be my librarian. A cage for Refugee week is awesome. Also, STOP, did you say you keep 34 computers working? I'm impressed. I think I need to hire you to come live at our house. We all love 'em, but we don't knowhow to fix 'em. Did you know Meredith hiked the mountains somewhere near you? You could live at the foothills for all we know and she could have hiked right by your window!

Also, I could go for a walk along the beach right now. Geez, and I WAS feeling so good about my walk around the city this morning too!

Meredith, I really like my cross necklace. I think I'm wearing it to church this Sunday.

I think the work you do with and for cancer survivors and patients it's so marvelous. If I ever get cancer, I'm gonna come running to you!

Also, I think we need to see you in the travel forum a little more!

Have a blessed day everyone!

Meredith, you remind me of my fav. aunt - who also is always on the go, travels a lot, collects things, is very busy and who I sometimes live vicariously through, but wouldn't want to trade places with, because, well I'm me and she's her, you know?

I also have a couple of friends who do a lot of beading - my one friend has made her Christmas and birthday gifts for the last couple of years - last year she gave me a beautiful amethyst cross necklace - just lovely.....

I always feel like such a lazy bones when I come in here. All I do is work, full-time job, freelance work, volunteer work, work in garden, work one the house. EVerything I do has the word work in it. I enjoy what I do, but maybe I need a new non-work activity besides watching tv.

she travels to Paris, London and soon Italy..........and she wants a non-work activity?????????????????

does not sound to me like you are anything near a lazy bones at all, girl.....

Ms. Thesaurus wishes to point out that our perceptions are often influenced by our word choices. Try these instead: free-lance EXTRA VACATION MONEY; volunteer NURTURING or MINISTRY; garden and house BEAUTIFICATION. See, don't you feel better already?

Boy, next to you guys, I feel like a slug.

I work full time, for a newspaper, come home, crack the whip on the homework, sometimes I need to clean the kitchen, sometimes not; have four kids between 22-10, one daughter, the oldest, and three sons.

When everyone is home at the same time it's like a Marx Brothers movie, and then if they let the new puppy in and she starts to chase the cats....well that's really a blast. (NOT)

I draw/paint/doodle and right now my canvas is gourds but it's different all the time.

I have a passion for trees although I'm getting ready to cut the huge fruitless mulberry tree that's in our front yard down because I think it has a love affair going on with our sewer pipes.

My kids cringe every time we drive (or I spot) a pile of junk on the street because I could actually whip a U-ie and drag some of it home.

I'm on a self-imposed moratorium against Christmas trees, not because I don't like them, but because I love them but want no party to cutting them down.... so I drag limbs home, birch limbs mostly, and decorate them.

I read, used to write poetry and am trying to embark on a free lance bit....to tell "my story" of how you make a peaceful life even while living with an addictive spouse, because there is a way.

I think that's probably it. I have found in the last couple of days that I'm hogging 'post' space and don't want to be piggish.

DreamrKate

I thought I was the only weird person who finds it hard to resist the piles of junk waiting to be collected on the street! There is a rubbish collection happening in our neighbourhood at the moment and it's very hard to drive past without wondering what finds there might be lurking amongst the junk...
I just love old stuff! Antique shops, jumble sales, books, old china, wooden boxes, the old things stored in my parent's garage...when I pull out something everyone says "What do you want that old thing for??" But after I get it home and do something with it - even just putting it in a collection of other bits - everyone else wants it.

Ms. J,
Now, you talking my language. I couldn't agree with you more. I have sold/bought/collected/ or given away for gifts antiques all my life. I have loved old things and "junk" since I was able to walk and talk. Put me in a trash to treasures store and I will die a happy woman. Take a bowling pin and make a lamp. Take an old worn out quilt with holes in it and make throw pillows. Right now I have a quilt on my ANTIQUE table in the kitchen and it is my tablecloth. My bed is a high back antique oak bed. My dresser, the same. My son's room has the bed that my Mother was born in. The table in my kitchen came from Oklahoma with my grandmother when OK was indian territory. It came here to ALA in a covered wagon. She died last year at the age of 98. I have her oversized rocker in my living room. My house is full of junk/treasures. I also have some, not many, salesman samples. Just last week while I was at the Salvation Army donating clothes, a man drove up with a DOLLHOUSE he had made for his daughter and I talked him out of it. She is in her twenties now..so you can imagine. It is precious. Now I get to decorate it and a friend is painting an outside screen around the house....gawd I love this stuff! I wouldn't trade anything in here for new stuff EVER! I think I lived another life possibly in the 1800's or something. I love that stuff. Strong message to follow...hehehe

I am so excited reading your posts today. I too love junk piles especially old wood. You can make so many things out of it. picket fences, birdhouses and etc.
The antiques are really lovely we too have a dresser that came over on a wagon train. The mirror is gone off the back but it holds my grandmothers quilts when I am not using them.
At Christmas and other Holidays I like to take an old crocheted bedspread(its an ecru color) and put it on top of a red tablecloth and that decorates the kitchen.
A friend and I love to go to the garage sales and
thrift shops for our craft finds.
Maggie

OK - show of hands, who likes to watch "Antiques Roadshow???"

jawjaw - can I come live at your house?, it sounds wonderful

I love old treasures, I don't have too many finds though. When we bought our house about sixteen years ago, we found in the garage, lying in the middle of a pile of garbage left behind, on old wooden radio cabinet - completely gutted on the indside. It sits on top of my entertainment unit and I have one of the speakers from our surround sound tucked inside it, so it sounds like the sound is coming from the old radio.

I do! I do! As a matter of fact, some of my girlfriends went to the Antique's Roadshow here...Don't remember why I didn't...but it could have been during my "dating" years...hehehe..

Sure you can come live with me Evie...hope you like sweet tea and cornbread! You come on down...just warn me like six months ahead of time so I can clear out a room for ya...I have pic's if you ever want to see them. Some of my friends that live very far away ask me to make them.

smater (southern word) of fact, stop by and pick up the others girls on you way down...! BYOB...bring your own Body...BYOQ...bring your own quilt...we'll get Dotsie and Candice to cook for us all, and the rest of um can entertain us with their stories and poetry...how's that sound?

sounds fab! - sweet tea? is that hot or cold? anyway sounds good. Can you see us - wrapped in quilts, sipping tea, munching cornbread, watching Dotsie roll out pie crusts to make empanadas (did I spell that right?), paper spread out before us so we can jot stuff down, everyone talking at once.............sounds like a lot of fun....

and do send me some pics.......I'll send you one of "la salon rouge" - turned out not too bad, now that all the paintings done.

is it hot or cold? Girl...you will be in the South....COLD! Yeah...nice vision...I only wish my little adobe was big enough for everyone cause I would do it...no joke. Make sure you send the pic's of the red room...I bet it looks great!

you know...I COULD work up a retreat for everybody...but would anyone come? Say...Mont Eagle Assembly, on the cumberland plateau???? Course it cost a small fortune to rent something there...well, just let me put my thinking cap on...I'll come up with something for next year...BUT WAIT! We have the possibility of the convention for BOOMER WOMEN! Yahoooooo

I love the sound of all these old quilts - something we don't really have in our country. I have some of my grandmother's oak bedroom furniture - now in my daughter's room which I think Grandma would be pleased about if she knew - but it is only turn of the century, not as old as Queen Bee's.I also have my great granfather's black evening coat (tails)hanging on my wall. He wore it to my grandmother's wedding but I think it is older than that - may have come from Germany with him when he emigrated. He was only a little man - the coat fitted me when I was a petite teenager, not now. But he was by all accounts very strict and would not allow my acaemically gifted great aunt to study after leaving school, despite the pleadings of her teacher.That auntie never married, spent her life helping look after her many sisters' many children, doing church work...and writing.

While I'm about 20 posts too late. Evie, it's no so much that I need a non-work activity as i need a hobby. Traveling as a hobby will have to wait until I accidently trip over that big gold minethat lies beneath some old church in Alexandria somewere(there's got to be one somewhwre right?) Thanks meridithbead for the change in perspective. It's amazing what a few words can do.

Here goes- I work four days a week. I get stumped by pre-school homework becasue it involves some kind of gluing thing to do.
I love cross stitich but have'nt done it since my son was born four years ago. We love to travel but it too has been curtailed somewhat because of my son's age. This will pick up again.
I love auctions. It thrills me to out bid someone and get a lovey real cheap. To support this hobby I have tons of junk around. I am trying to get the yard sale of the year award but my house has no location! No visibility but I swear I could earn a good buck if I could sell some of this stuff siting around.
I love homemade art shows. They are the best artisans around.
This forum has taken on a certain pattern of obsession.
I try very hard to keep up with my lifelong friends who are spread around the globe. This takes work but is very important to me.
I am just begining to journal. Hope I keep it up.
I play whatever game my sons imagination cooks up. Sometimes I am a cat and sometimes I am a teacher. I wear many hats when it comes to this.
I try to read as much as possible and it is never enough. This is a wonderful escape.
I like to be outdoors and landscaping is an expensive hobby of mine.
I also enjoy architecture. So my husband and I are always putting on an addition a demolition job in a section of the house. Another very expensive hobby.
I think if I gave up my expensive hobbies I wouldn't have to work and then I could spend more time on my hobbies!
I enjoy sailing but don't get a chance very often and mu husband is a pilot so I try to fly with him once in awhile. It is not my passion but I try for his sake.
I wish I could spend more time with friends. Most meaningful ones are too far away. But those that are closer could be better cultivated. I don't know where to find the time.
I also enjoy live music. Local bands to nationally known. You will find my family at concerts in the park quite frequently.
OK now I will stop. You are probably dulled into sleep by now.

Not me Lynn...I enjoyed every line of your post. It got me to thinking again...(I know...dangerous)..but there are quiet a few other things that interest me...like:

Old movies - such as "The Quiet Man" with John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara...sigh...what a MOVIE! And "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir." If you haven't seen either one of these ladies, rent them at your local library and treat yourself!

Geneology - I found my Dad's father in one year because of the Internet. My Dad/Mom had been searching for him for 30 years. It was my greatest gift to Daddy that Thanksgiving. Sad to report though, his father had died the previous year. But...I still love doing this and would bet some of us are kin, heh? Anyone else into the family thing? We're all God's children you know!

Motorcycles - now I am too big a wuss to learn to drive one by myself, but I have had significant others who had them and I love them. Someday I hope to have a "trike" (3 wheels) and I will ride where ever I want! I will have my logo painted on it too. This is a dream of mine. Queen on wheels...hehehe...

Lynn - I too love auctions especially if I can get a bargain on them!

jawjaw- "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir" is that the one with Alistair Sim????

The version I was referring to was 1947 and it starred Gene Tierney and Rex Harrison. Next to The Quiet Man, my fav...and then next would have to The Lion King....

Now that the kids are getting older and I have more time, I'm learning to relax more. The pace has changed tremendously. I guess I'm gearing up for the empty nest eventually.

Anyone find they've had a hard time switching gears? When I find a couple hours at night without anything PRESSING to do, I relax, but feel like I SHOULD be doing something constructive.

I'm getting use to it though, and actually am enjoying the change of pace. Just a change!

just reviewing these posts - JJ, I saw the "Ghost and Mrs. Muir" on Sat. night on the TV - enjoyed it, loved the house......thought of you while I was watching it

you know...I love that house. And I love the way she eased into trusting him and becoming his friend and eventually, mate. Such a sweet movie. I think I'll dust my house this weekend and see if I can find any ghost laying around...OR not.

JJ

I just finished reading all the hobbies listed by all the great women in here. Wow. What a great bunch of women!!!!

I am IMPRESSD!!!

smile

I farm full time, hand spinner's flock of colored sheep - rare Shetlands, Romneys and Merinos. My 19 sheep are quickly turning into more...up to 22 and more to come. A lot of my day is spent tending to animals and doing farm work - fencing, repair on barns/sheds/buildings. The last wind storm tore off a shed roof and that needs to be replaced. I've got 10 American Curly horses that I train and in good weather that's 10 horses times 15 minutes each twice a day. In sunny weather I'll take one of my spinning wheels or my knitting to the pasture and sit with the sheep while the dogs and cats run about sniffing at I don't want to know what! Sometimes I'll get a natural dye pot going and dye wool for spinning or yarn for knitting/weaving. I weave shawls & throws on a tri-loom.

3 dogs, 8 cats (including barn cats), a husband and a ninety year old mother in law complete the household. I just finished two years of heavy volunteer work - sometimes 40 hours a week and my volunteer work has slowed down considerably. I'm still on the community volunteer fire department. A girlfriend, who is owns an ostrich farm, and I partner together to offer farm tours at our respective farms to school groups, families, seniors, etc. That helps with the farm income. I work with WV Bluefield State College when they have foreign dignitaries visit the USA. I talk to them about rural tourism, how their economies may be helped by supporting cottage industry, etc. So far we've had heads of state from Russia, Tasjekistan, Albania and other countries visit our farm. That's fun and I might have the opportunity to visit Albania and Russia this year to work with them first hand.

I write children's stories about my animals and magazine articles about fiber, sheep, horses, farmlife, etc. None of my children's stories have been published but I sell magazine articles every month. I'm a published photographer and working on getting my darkroom set up again. I've got 400 pounds of fleece to send to the processor's to be made into yarn and blankets. I started the Lost Arts Guild and am getting us ready for a statewide exhibition - Mar - May.

Dave and I want to take a vacation this year and I'm researching a small boat cruise to Alaska or BC, Canada. The boats will hold 8 to 12 and that's about as many people as we take. Living on a farm severely reduces one's ability to handle large groups of people .

We're gearing up for Sheep Shearing Day in April and that's open to the public. I'm expecting around 100 visitors this year...at least I hope that's all that show up!

I'm blessed because what I do is what I love doing. And, this time of year, I'm lambing and that takes up a LOT of my time. This list making has been fun .

MB, I think it was you who said you enjoyed puzzles...try www.jigzone.com . LOTS of FUN!

What an ejiit! I answered everything but the question asked! What I do for fun is read...mysteries mainly. I try to read 5 chapters of the Bible every day but don't really. I usually manage 4 or 5 days a week. One of my favorite memories is watching Mom and Daddy read their Bible. Dad reads 5 chapters every day, beginning Jan 1 and he's finished sometime in November. He's done that for 40+ years now. Mom is more of a Bible student, she takes classes, etc.

I also ride my horses and neighbors are kind to let me ride in their pastures. Between neighbors and national forest that's about 50,000 acres.

Y'all want to come here for a convention? I've plenty of room and quilts and you're welcome. There's a candle lit in the window to guide your way.

Thistle, what a wonderful way to recall your parents spending their time. I was raised Catholic and my parents didn't read the Bible. Bible reading was sparse with Catholics back then. At least among the Catholics I knew.

Sandra,

When you first came into the forum, I thought "What a neat place! I'd love to have our convention there!" ... but of couldn't I couldn't invite us until you did!

Wow! This site is filled with interesting, talented women. Amazing, really.

I also love antiques but I'm trying to stay away from buying any more. I like anything with horses and have western and English riding pictures & knick knacks everywhere in my house. I also have old furniture and tools that belonged to grandparents and my parents. I like the history of old things, the connection to family and the past.

I'm jealous of Sandra's riding area. I'm on 9 acres. I also ride in a neighbor's woods but it's not much space and not very good footing. Plus, with 2 inseparable horses, it's tough to go out on my own and I'm always struggling on finding a way to ride without getting injured. A flat, fenced in arena with soft sand (instead of clay) would be nice.

Julie, I also love to sing and play flute and piano but it's tough to find the time. Unfortunately, my church doesn't have a choir because I'd love to sing in one. They have soloists every Sunday, really good ones with their own CDs.

I'm trying to write a book and get some short stories published to build up my confidence. I like writing but hate the business part of it, like submitting stuff.

I love to read, but have a hard time sticking to one book at a time. I usually have 5 books I'm reading at once and don't finish any of them before I find another book I want to read. What's that all about? Hmmm...I kind of have a hard time sticking to and finishing anything.

My son goes to an arts high school 35 miles away and lives on campus so I only see him on weekends. I love reading the things he writes and seeing what his imagination puts into his paintings. We have a similar sense of humor and I enjoy our conversations and the resulting laughter.

Meredith, I'm with you on the migraine madness. If you find anything that works, let me know. I would love to get back all the time I spend in bed with an ice pack on my head. I would also like to know how you manage to lift weights without straining something. I broke my right collar bone and wrist 14 months ago (a result of falling off a horse onto frozen ground). The bones are healed but now everything aches, especially my elbow at the moment. I use really light weights with a lot of repetition but have had to stop for now. It's discouraging as I'm trying to build up my bones.

Oops, this is suppose to be about hobbies, not ailments. Sorry.

I like web development and design (although I'm an amateur). I like editing photos and trying to make things look cool and interesting.

I long to spend more time with friends, of which I have few. I don't know if it's a time and location problem or if I'm just not much fun. Sigh... It's much easier for me to write than it is for me to talk, at least until I've been around someone for a long time. I have a hard time approaching people, thus I don't know any of my neighbors. I'm trying to find a writer's group that is in my neck of the woods, or something like that, to meet like-minded peoples.

Okay, that's enough already.

And one more thing... Sorry, but I forgot to mention where I spend most my time because it's not something I enjoy, it's just reality. I'm one of those people you've probably said a few choice words about in your lifetime. I create instruction manuals. However, I mainly write on how to operate and service industrial plural component paint spray equipment so you probably haven't read any of my work.

Dear Agate/Mary
You wrote:
It's much easier for me to write than it is for me to talk, at least until I've been around someone for a long time

...I understand exactly. Just how I feel. No wonder I like email so much! I need time to thaw out with people and know what I can say to them. I've been trying to "outgrow" this for 43 years but am still working on it! :-) Actually I think it is just innate - have you read a book by Elaine Aaron or seen her website http://www.hsperson.com/ ? The things she says about personality types resonnated with me.

Interesting that we both love music...I am missing that part of my life at the moment, haven't had time for it for a while.

By the way, I need some help with some writing research.... being a city dweller, I need some help in describing the sounds and smells of horses (Seriously!)...any help much appreciated.

Julie, I can't help with the horse descriptions. Rode them every day as a kid and hated it. Blotted it form my brain.

However, I did read the HSP site and thought someone might want to see some recent research on the subject of shyness.

http://www.azcentral.com/health/kids/articles/0620shykids-ON.html

smile

Agate, I have 5 different prescription drugs for my migraines, because when one doesn't work I go on to the next... I recently had two months of weekly accupuncture, and got no results. Physical therapy, heat pads, feverfew, ice, oils, guided imagery: nada. I just finished another 3-day doozie, two of which were spent puking. I wish I had a cure, because I waste way too much time being incapacitated.

As far as injuries, I recently pulled out my shoulder while weight lifting, my first gym injury in at least 10 years. I'm very careful about correct form and listening to my body. Unfortunately, this was my weak side where I had all my surgery, lymph nodes removed and nerves cut through. Since I can't feel much on that side, I probably missed any signals my body may have been sending. The pain was bad but nothing compared to a migraine It's about 5 weeks now and I'm still not doing upper body lifting, because I can tell it's not healed.

Hi,
You two with the migraines. Have you considered talking to your dentist? I have heard there are some dentists who can help with this.
Thanks for the sites on shy and hsp people. A lot of stuff there makes sense now. I can remember being told don't be so sensitive and yet now who do they call on to heal a person or group the highly sensitive person.
Maggie

Julie, I did read the HSP book by Aron and it was one of those "ah hah" moments. Helped me feel better about all the times I've had to take a time out from family get togethers. Unfortunately, my husband's family just thinks I'm antisocial or don't like them.

I'm not sure how to describe the sound and smell of horses. There's the screech they make when they're trying to establish pecking order and warn someone to back off, or the soft, rolling nicker they make when you open the grain bucket, or the clicking of hooves on black top or wood bridges, the crunching of leaves when you ride through the woods, or the hard snorting blowing they do when they smell or hear something that puts them on alert (I wish I had a recording of that one because it's pretty cool sounding, kind of like they're trying to scare whatever it is away, not so cool though when you're riding them), oh, and the kind of lip flapping sound they make after they roll on the ground, umph and groan their way back to their feet, then shake themselves off from head to hoof (that's where the lip flapping sound comes in). Smell is just that warm, earthy smell all animals seem to have. When I was little, I wouldn't let my mom wash my clothes after I'd been riding and I wouldn't wash my hands because I wanted to keep that smell close to me for as long as I could. Now manure, that's a whole other story, but I even like that smell.

Thanks for the horse help. This probably sounds really ignorant, but I'm a total novice in the horse world. Would it be true to say that a horse smells stronger/differently after exercise? If you couldn't see, what would be the signs to you that a horse was nearby?

I think the point about HSPs and shyness is that it is not something to be cured but an attribute that has positive aspects - although it can be darned inconvenient with people who don't understand.

Also shyness and HSP can be painful. It can be detrimental to success in a career and homelife as well. Hopefully not serious, but painful none the less.

smile

Awww, MB, you're the first to have waited for an invite! I can't remember the numbers of people who have come here, spent the night, and I didn't know them before they came. I had "net-talked" with them but had never met them. The advantage to calling before you come is you get to claim a bed. Otherwise, you might have to sleep on the floor .

I just assume people can entertain themselves if they visit. They are welcome to do chores with me and, eventually, I'll get back to the house. But...it's a good thing if folks can entertain themselves.

Horse smells - all animals smell it's just that most times humans have overpowered their own sense of smell with artificial scent. Curly horses have a different smell than do other horses. And, Curly horses smell differently after they have exercised. Not bad, just differently. I like the smell of animals. I especially love the smell of the sheep and lambs.

When I'm around the horses and they are agitated, I'll take a very deep breath and sigh loudly. It seems to calm they down and the respond almost immediately. Unless, of course, they are hungry and I have food. Then it's every dog for himself and get out of the way! I've learned the hard way to be extremely careful feeding the herd. It's even dangerous feeding the sheep because they tend to get rowdy. They can hurt but the horses can kill. I know a quad who was trapped under his horse and the horse rolled down the mountain. They were gathering cattle and the accident happened in an instant. Tragic.

Here's a whole whole other look at horses. I wrote it a while back when a friend went hunting for two weeks, with a bunch of other guys, all on horseback.

About that horseback riding stuff. Now there’s a real waste of time. Horses don't have shock absorbers (in case you haven't noticed by now). Furthermore, and this is the worst part, there is no way to send email from a horse. And until there is I say 'let 'em eat grass.'

Personally I learned better than to ride horses a long time ago. When I was a kid about six or seven, my Dad and Grandpa had cows (Now there's a whole other lesson in stupidity). Anyway, in the summertime the ponds dried up and we had to take the cows to the river to drink and we had to ride these disgusting smelly bumpy old horses to get them there (and not only did they have no email they weren't air conditioned either). We only had a few horses and there was a whole bunch of cousins so we had to ride bareback with three or four on a horse. Well, I always got the tail and I gotta' tell you horses have some serious 'flatulence' problems.

I fell off about every day and sometimes the horse would step on my toes. On really bad days they stepped on my fingers. Sometimes all three or four of us would fall off. Then we'd wind up in a tangle of arms and legs and sometimes a fight would break out. We almost couldn't get back on either cause the horse was real tall and we sure didn't have any ladders and they didn't want us on their backs in the first place. It would have been a lot easier to just turn on the faucet and let the cows drink except we didn't have a faucet.

Well when I got big enough to defend myself, I decided I would never ride anything that didn't have nice padded seats, shock absorbers, and air conditioning. Hey, why do you think they invented cars???

Well, now I feel a lot better. I think I'm ridding myself of a lot of hostility here.

Just another point of view and all for fun.
smile

I think dampness just makes an animals smell stronger. As for knowing when horses are nearby, you might here them blowing (when they get dust or bugs up their nose). That's another way to tell if horses (or other animals) are near, there's more flies and gnats around. Or the tell tale manure piles.

If we are talking about enjoyable hobbies, I have many. Unfortunately I haven't been able to do alot of them for the past 6 since I developed Chronic Fatigue Syndrome(CFS) and Fibromyalgia. I love to watch sports, TV and in person as well as on the radio, baseball, football, and college basketball, GO DUKE! My son plays the trombone in the pep band. I love to garden! Hard when I ache or have little energy. I love to read, especially romance novels. I also love to do picture puzzles, there are some that are "Impossibles" and the last one was 2000 pieces. I love to play cards but find it hard to find others to play with. I love to bake and cook, but not for myself. I also love to do things with friends, but don't do often as alot have gone to work full time again, and by evening I am ready to bed, and on weekends most are busy with their families. I alos love the outdoors, sailing, boating, biking, walking, rollerblading, etc. One of my favorite summer pasttimes is to listen to an O's game while lying in a hammock reading a romance novel. Oh to be there now, I will dream. All those who love horses, I used to go to our "country cousins" while growing up and ride there. They lived in Howard Co. which at that time was in the country, now it is housing developments along rt 29. I miss that. I loved to ride. Haven't done that for 20-40 years, that makes me old. Instead I get to walk my dog.

maggie, you mentioned going to a dentist. What you're referring to is called TMJ, basically grinding your teeth at night and getting jaw pain from it. Anyhoo -- been there, done that, had 4 years wearing braces as an adult to realign my bite and hopefully address the situation, and wore a mouth guard when I slept for years. That too didn't work. But thanks for suggesting it.

Ok My turn:

I work full time although I do not go into the office on Monday but work a few hours at home so my son (5) can stay home with me from pre-school.

I have a nice home with lots of additions (our passion is remodeling) and a wooded park like setting on 3 acres. We tamed these woods 15 years ago.

I love to read but go long stretches when just reading a magazine article is tough.

I try to spend most of my time between my son who I adore and my husband who is going through chemo/radiation therapy after a pancreatic surgery for cancer.

I spend ALOT of time making, attending and following up on doctor's appointments and I am seriously behind on the dentist and gynecologist.

I enjoy the forums to be my base for friendship, support and encouragement.

I love to travel and have until recently been a semi retired nomad. Sometimes I am afraid to start out on a journey 'cause I am not sure I will come home.

I love to cross stitch but have not in years.

I love to garden and landscape.

The beach and the sun are my friends. I must submerse my body in salt water a few times every year or I don't feel right. (must be a carry over from all those salt water baths at sea)

Working on getting closer to my inner self and spiritual side is constant and sometimes an uphill battle.

I am currently moving to downsize that acreage and maintenance and am reassuring my family that this is the right thing to do. My son cried when we traded in the car so he has a tendency to cling to things for comfort.

My life is filled with realtors, builders and mortgage brokers (not to mention the oncologists).Pascking is my second name.

My Mom gets as much of me as there is left. She is a recent widow and is finding her place on earth without her mate. This is a voyage she must take alone but, like the forums, she could use encouragement along they way.

God is always by my side. I don't give Him much airplay in the sense of reading the Bible etc. but we talk frequently throughout the day and we have a good realationship that I value most.

My husband is the love of my life. We have been together for 25 years and each has been a memorable occassion. Would like more time with him.

I also scrapbook for my son. It's not that great but he won't care-it is the memories that matter.

I love auctions and have bought the best stuff there. have not been in a while - I could actually hold one with everything I need to clean out of my house.

I think that sums up what I spend my time doing and a little of what I like.

And after spending so many years at sea with men, I really enjoy the company and support of women. The second half of my life has defintely been female oriented.

Now I must get back to my desk!

Lynn

Lynn, you're such an honest writer. I think you have a wonderful life. We just have to get beyond these doctor appointments.

I wish you all the best with moving. I think you'll be glad once it's done. I think raising kids in neighborhoods is so much easier than being out in the middle of nowhere. I see you as a people person and I think you'll love having women on either side to live your life with.

I continue to pray for your husband's health. Please keep us posted and let us know how we should direct our prayers.

Blessings all around!

WOW, Queen you have a better sounding museum of treasures than some of the pay to get into places have. I love old collectibles too. I collect old colored bottles and cans. My special built can shelves (all 6) are full. I also collect little crystal, glass statuesques. Everyone gives me one for Christmas now. I also have a collection of M&M statues. My ex live in had those too along with his records. My grandson loves them.

Never gave hobbies a thought since they all seem to become work somehow. Writing was a hobby for years, now my work. I have 6 things out to publishers since Jan.27th, short stories:
When Fantasys Come True;(Erotica)
Murders On Highway 101;(Mystery)
Arnolds Big Problem;(Kids story)
Silent Partner;(About Pregnancy)
A Smile, A Cookie & A Hug;(About My Mom)
Journal of Slave Steven.(Erotica)
Been a busy lady with those and just finished Vanished;(psychological Thriller)
need a publisher for that one yet.
I take in strays and puppys that are in transition from Best Friends Animal Sanctuary to a new home. I have a 4 year old poodle now and a McCaw waiting for adoption approval to their new homes. I have two female Yorkies of my own, Reeta & Rosee. I have a cookbook ready to go and do book reviews for Long Ridge Writers Group. I belong to Henderson Writers Group and find myself addicted to this site lately. I do Curves and swim when weather permits, walk and bike ride. Oh and though I hate housework I do have to clean. I work usually 40 hours on the telephones as a sex goddess, ha ha, and get away with it too. I'm a mother and grandmother and hopefully good friend to my girlfriends.
I love to log onto this site and read all the posts and reply to those I can offer something to. You ladies are just the ticket, and I am proud and happy to be one of you. I answer all emails gladly...... Living in Vegas my garden is active all year round. I love fresh veggies...

Chatty. are you doing your submissions online or through snail mail?

I'm doing the same now with my query and proposal for boomer women speak. It's a full time job just trying to find an agent or publisher. I have created a query chart of who, when and why I've submitted.

I wish you the best with your submissions. Keep us posted.

Ok ladies my name is Mary.

Thought I would jump right in.

I live in rural Oregon. I have been married 35 years to the same loving man, have three grown children and 5 grandchildren ages 6 mo. - 12 years.

I love to take photos, birdwatch and plant things outdoors (have an indoor brown thumb) and last but not least I love music.
I used to write poetry a good way of expressing oneself but now I just mouth off another good way to express oneself. I would blame it on menopause but I believe it's just my true nature finally.

I hate cleaning house or cleaning anything for that matter so I do it as quickly as possible!!

I love diversity have tried many different interests on my path to somewhere and hopefully have settled into a few good hobbies.

I have a bible don't read it often enough. Do pray occasionally and go to church. By the way I wear jeans to church but of course you can get by with that in rural America.

God Bless

Hi Mary, it's nice to get to know you. I love Oregon where you can live between the mountains and the ocean. I also noticed that as I mature I am more willing and able to express my opinions. I used to find cleaning house therapeutic but now I need massage therapy to counteract the aches and pains of cleaning house! I too tried several different hobbies in a seeking stage in my thirties. Prior to that I was too much of a perfectionist to attempt anything that I knew I couldn't do perfectly from the start. Housecleaning was all I could do perfectly. In my forties, I went to $15.00 classes at Michaels Arts and Crafts and tried floral arrangements, painting, gift basket arranging, drawing. I liked it all. I settled on watercolor painting. I also love to garden, and am best at container gardening and indoor plants. I was raised Catholic and now I go to another church where many wear jeans, but I still like to dress up. Love and Light, Lynn

Here's another side of the horse riding story...

*shock absorbers - a *good* rider brings their own...usually attached.

*e-mail from a horse...cell phones now have that option.

*serious flatulence problems...oh my...this is an *easy* one...when experiencing said problems, one can *always* blame it on the horse...can't do "that" in a car!

*stepping on human's toes...for pity's sake...keep your toes out from under the horses' hoof or you can always walk. who's the human here?

*when you ride cars...you only see pavement and billboards; when you ride horses...you see God's country.

Hey Smile...all in fun ; blessings on you!

Ah, yes. I love to see the world from on a horse. I experienced heaven on earth in the prairies of Missouri while riding last summer. LLL

I just finished posting about horses in another post and now I come across this one.
I have a fear of horses...and moose, but thats another story.
I don't mind riding behing a horse. I am very afraid of being in front of one unless it is fenced in. I don't like their teeth. I would jump out of a plane, but I haven't been on horseback. I feel it is too high and unstable.
Funny huh?

Maybe I need to try it out?

Neigh.

chick

Chick, funny, the neigh! Have you jumped out of a plane?

No but I want to and plan to. My brother did and I was sooo excited for him. I think it would be the most exciting thrill, just thinking about it makes my heart rate soar. Other half and his sons chickened out when I asked them to go. Any of you ladies ever jumped?

Wheeeeeeeeeeeeee
chick

Here's a blonde story for Chick and anyone else afraid of horses.

A blonde decides to try horseback riding, even though she has had no lessons nor prior experience. She mounts the horse unassisted, and the horse immediately springs into motion.

It gallops along at a steady and rhythmic pace, but the blond begins to slide from the saddle. In terror, she grabs for the horse's mane, but cannot seem to get a firm grip. She tries to throw her arms around the horse's neck, but she slides down the horse's side anyway. The horse gallops along, seemingly oblivious of its slipping rider.

Finally, giving up her frail grip, the blond attempts to leap away from the horse and throw herself to safety.

Unfortunately, her foot has become entangled in the stirrup, she is now at the mercy of the horse's pounding hooves as her head is struck against the ground over and over.

As her head is battered against the ground, she is mere moments away from unconsciousness when to her great fortune...................... Frank, the Wal-Mart greeter, sees her dilemma and unplugs the horse.

smile

HA Yippee very funny! thanks for the laugh!

Smile, I love it. I have to tell my daughter this one. She likes blonde jokes because her hair is very dark borwn, almost black. Thanks for the laugh.

Dots, I saw her photo and she's as beautiful as her mother.
smile

Smile, that Was sooo funny. Maybe I need to start out at Walmart for practice before trying the real thing.
chick

Thats about my speed, Wal-Mart horsies....

Well, just finished reading through all these posts. What a diverse group of women we are. Yet, we have so much in common. The creativity that comes out of us in unique ways ... jewelry, poetry, writing, gardening, jigsaw puzzles, weaving, quilts, scrapbooks, antiques ... and all so busy.

My favorite thing to do is ... hmmm ... I guess write and photography even though they cross over into my career, as it were.

At one time I was on the fast track in the writing, journalistic, and marketing world and then had a stroke. That was ten years ago. I was blessed in an almost total recovery EXCEPT I can no longer work full-time and I suffer under stress. In the worst of situations you might think I was drunk ... that pretty well describes it. But that seems to happen less frequently now.

God is my anchor and my touchstone. Without Him I would be dead, plain and simple. He's kept me sane and I know when I've wandered too far because I become the "crazy lady." LOL. Still, He is the only thing that brings balance and peace into my life.

Being here in Germany was the most difficult decision I've ever made. I DID NOT want to leave my daughter, grandchildren and Arizona. My marriage was disintegrating and so we thought time apart might help. Of course, God had different plans. So, in obedience to His leading, I came here and the first 3 months were the saddest, loneliest times I've ever spent. A good day was one when I didn't cry. But, God knew what He was doing (doesn't he always).

Since coming here I completed my novel and it's due out next month. I've gotten to see so many wonderful places over here, taken more than a thousand photos, and have used the experiences for a travel column. But most importantly, God healed my marriage and also brought me closer to Him.

I too love to read and was encouraged to find many of you have several books going at once. I love jigsaw puzzles ... when I'm really "antsy" I can work on one and it seems to help calm me down.

I used to do cross stitch and crafts but they are harder for me to do now (eyesight and eye/hand coordination are challenging).

I'm inspired by all you gals do. Your lives seem to have a gentle cadence and rhythm (and maybe sometimes not so gentle) but still ... there is something comforting in every post I've read here.

The more time I spend here, the more comfortable I feel both with each of you but with myself.

Hugs and blessings, Francine

Francine, so glad to hear God took you from the valley to the mountaintop in your marriage and relationship with Him. Congrats on the near publiscation of your book. Germany has been good to you.

My daughter and I have a new hobby. We've begun jigsaw puzzles. It can be addictive if you're on a roll. It's a fun way to connect and spend time with her. She's 17, had a job and a boyfriend so I feel blessed that this is something she enjoys doing.

I'm so glad you are feeling more comfortable with yourself since arriving at BWS. Love's what makes the world go around...and that's what we do here, love one another! Thanks for your part in encouraging and supporting other boomer women!

Dotsie, I just read your original post on this thread and now I'm tired. How do you do all that and still have time for this website?

I, too, spend a lot of my free time with my family. I love to shop, read and of course, write. I'm almost always online. I love emailing and updating my website. My daughter and I do scrapbooking, but I haven't done anything with that for a while. I bounce back and forth with several hobbies. I was making jewelry for a while, but that's sort of on a back burner right now. My new dollhouse is taking up some of my time.

I love taking pictures. My husband and I travel more now. We have the Disney Vacation Club and go twice a year. Other than that, we love going to the coast of southern Maine and up north to the White Mountain area. Last summer, we went to Vegas, which was the furthest I've ever been in my whole life. We're hoping to go to Hawaii in another year or so, when he retires.

Our favorite close to home thing to do is just sit out on our deck and enjoy a warm summer night. We did that last night. It was great.
Louisa

Chick - I have a friend in Canada who is having trouble w/the resident he moose thinking her Curly she horses are she mooses...or is that meece? Anyway, immature male moose, apparently, have trouble distinguishing between mares and moose...OUCH!

As to jumping out of a plane...I plan to do that for my 80th birthday. If GW can, so can I.

Anyone see the story about the 92 year old man who sky dived recently? He set a Guiness world record and looked like he had a great time!

It ain't over till we're not breathing!

If I sky dived, it would be over because I would stop breathing!

My very petite neighbor decided she wanted to sky dive in her mid seventies. She went to sky diving school and was ready to take her first plunge.

They gave her a parachute and she was ready to board the plane when the pilot decided she should repack the chute. He told her to pull the rip cord. She did and it turned out her arm was too short to pull the cord out far enough to deploy the chute.

Whew! Good thing she didn't figure that out thousands of feet in the air.

But she got another chute with a shorter cord and did it. She built an olympic sized pool so her sons could practice to be olympic swimmers. One was a national champ. Not sure if he was an olympian. She bought a grand piano and learned to play it in her sixties.

She died suddenly of a heart attack a few years ago. She amazed me to the end.
smile

Smile...thanks for writing about your neighbor...loved hearing about her. Wonder how many lives she touched due to her enthusiasm, courage, joy...?

Smile, what an inspiration. Don't you hope you live your later years like her? I do.

Working with wood is my all time favorite thing to do. When I retire I hope to build cool looking sheds from wood cut from our 30+ acres of woodland. Hopefully I'll be able to afford a portable sawmill so I can cut and mill my own boards. I love to carve and whittle and re-wire lights that are still very usable with a little work. I've thought of becoming a "light mechanic". I'd like to take a course in small engine repair so I can fix those things we own that need fixing instead of having to send them out for repair. I'm at my best when I'm working with my hands.

Quote:

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Working with wood is my all time favorite thing to do. When I retire I hope to build cool looking sheds from wood cut from our 30+ acres of woodland. Hopefully I'll be able to afford a portable sawmill so I can cut and mill my own boards. I love to carve and whittle and re-wire lights that are still very usable with a little work. I've thought of becoming a "light mechanic". I'd like to take a course in small engine repair so I can fix those things we own that need fixing instead of having to send them out for repair. I'm at my best when I'm working with my hands.

---

Cool! I have a friend who owns her own home. She loves remodelling it and will do whatever she can herself and hire contractors for more complicated/heavier jobs. Her fantasy place is....Home Depot. Seriously. She transformed a piece of pavement into a jungle garden in her backyard.

as for me...well, could use my time better...already I have a job that requires nearly a 1.5 hr. 1-way commute to get to work (no it's not all bike..).

But when there's time:
cycling of course
exercise-- 1/2hr. on floor. More to keep limber and agile. Also to prevent lower back pain.
oil painting --have taken several courses over past few decades. Movin' to mixed media after taking a course at a local art college.
reading travelogues, social commentary books. Right now, my brain doesn't want hassle of complicated novels. Ironic because I have an English Lit degree.