Hobbies

As I've grown older...that not saying a whole lot, I've come to realize two things:
A. Many people around me get lost in at least one hobby of theirs
B. I do not have a hobby

I blame school, I blame being in some sort of educational institution for the past 18 years of my life. You spend so much of it studying, reading, writing about things you could frankly care less about, but your teachers, educators, and professors are dying to read. Ok, actually, they don't really care either, but your achievement at their assignment is money in their pockets. Regardless, you spend so much time taking in all the junk that you don't care about, that you forget to love the things you were born with the desire to enjoy.

A few friends of mine, as they too have gotten older really have blossomed into their talents, their hobbies.

A few of my favorites so far:

Michelle Anderson-started off from a town next to my hometown, played basketball, 6'2, went to college, played ball...and now? She's a model: Her Facebook Page

Atley Black-started off from another town close to my hometown, loved music, sang in church, rocked the guitar, moved to Australia, got married...and now? You tell me: Her MySpace Page

It's pretty fascinating, even my fiance's father, though he is a CPA, and a music minister, his songwriting/singing/piano playing ability is beyond this world. I've already got a hold of his first album...amazing. It's a hobby, it's something he enjoys.

I think that is why Ken and I work so well together, here we are...she's 21 and I'm 22, and both of us, we don't know what we're "good at", sure others have gave us their two cents (thanks ya'll), but we don't know personally. I mean I think she's got the voice of an angel, really I do, but she doesn't work on it too much, that's what happens when you go to college [see above paragraph ranting]. We're still working on it. It feels like I bounce around every day.
Monday: I could be writing a poem

Tuesday: Writing a short story

Wednesday: Making a computer desk

Thursday: Playing the flute

Friday: Taking photos of everything

Perhaps it isn't so bad not to have a hobby. Ken tells me that I need one to cut down on the fact that I am constantly stressed out, I inform her that hobbies are nothing more then an excuse for us to spend money on things we don't need, but we want. Yes, I'm a border-line tightwad (I do have my foo-foo coffee every now and then). It is true, if you heard through the grapevine that a few months ago, after leaving college, I did take nearly 500 dollars and I did purchase a very, very nice camera. Most of the time I've just wanted to have something to capture memories with, it seems that everyone around me never uses their cameras. It was sickening, so finally, I went out and got my own camera. Understand though, I don't take photos for a living, I don't rock the world, or show off my flair, or anything. I just click the button that's all I've got to do.

My good friend, Sam, he's an engineer major which means he already gave up the opportunity to have a life. Regardless though, even he has a hobby; guitars. He has six guitars recently. A few are electric, and a few are not. In high school he took lessons, and since, honestly...he's one of the most amazing guitarists I've ever heard.

I think part of the reason that I don't have a hobby is because I don't want to take the time, nor place the money into something that is going to better me in the end. What decreases stress for me? Fly fishing, trout fishing, traveling, getting away from a city, getting lost in a corn field, lying on the bank of the river counting stars, falling asleep in the arms of the one you love. I'm 6'5, and nearly 250 lbs, but nothing is more comfortable then waking up from a nap and knowing that I've fallen asleep on Ken and she just sits there staring at me with a giant smile. That takes away stress.
Maybe Ken is a hobby? No, that's just stupid. She's more then that, she's perfect, she's an angel, she's evidence that I am the luckiest man in the world.

I'm sitting in my parents house while I write this, I see two deer heads, a gun cabinet...full. Some random chairs and old pieces of wood furniture from when my mother was a child, and it just dwans on my that part of the reason I don't have hobbies is because I can't bring myself to hold onto so much junk. That's why I love photos, especially digital photos. You can take them with you, my new iPod that I broke down and purchased, it can hold photos on it. Pretty fun. Everything else though, I don't need it, I'm sure to an extent I don't need the digital photos, or the electronics...oh wait...I'm an American.

I'll keep searching, looking for a hobby. I'll be traveling to Oklahoma this weekend for a wedding, and hopefully a tennis match. That will give me some time to figure out a hobby. Until then...

I'll let you see some of what I've been doing with my camera.