Hobbies at which I suck
I have pretty much one inescapable talent: Choosing hobbies at which I suck.
I love to hike. I am the world's slowest hiker, and was even before my health issues. I used to weight-train before the Knee Incident, but you'd better believe I'm not posting my lifts. We won't even get into my "dancing."
I played the cello from second grade until midway through high school, and still have my cello (albeit in grave need of repair). I was a terrible cellist.
I learned the basics of piano from my mother, a virtuoso classical pianist who has performed at Carnegie and Tanglewood. The apple fell very far from the tree.
I like to do needlework, and color, and decorate cakes, and keep plants, and various crafty things that help keep Michaels in business. I suck at all of the above (and I'm so slow on needlework I still haven't gotten to Boy's Christmas stocking by age 17). I have the creative heart of an artist without the... what's the word... talent.
Sucking at a hobby doesn't really remove the joy from it, at least, not if you remove your ego from the equation. It just limits the opportunity. I still like plunking about on the piano, but I don't do it where ears can hear. I decorate cakes for my family, and at least they're tasty. And the remains of my attempts at gardening make for good mulch.
One thing at which I don't entirely suck is photography. It's turned into a small side business, and with the acquisition of my new Nikon (thanks Dad!), I'm hopeful to expand my skills to do much better work. In the meantime, convention season is looming...
ME: So, funny story.
JIM: What
ME: I needed to order the canvas print rack before the next show so I can efficiently display the prints. The rack was finally on sale for $35 plus $10 shipping. But if you bought certain products that the site had on sale, your whole order ships for free. Devious weasels.
JIM: Yep
ME: So I wandered around the site looking for products that offered free shipping at about the same price as the shipping. And I found a set of acrylic paints that costs $12. Well, if I have to pay the extra cash anyway, why not get something for it instead of wasting it on shipping?
JIM: ...
ME: Which is how I ended up ordering paints approximately 400 years after the last time I painted anything.
JIM: Lol
ME: I am the world's worst painter. My paintings are buried in the basement where they won't get loose and hurt someone. Someday I need to develop a hobby at which I don't suck.
JIM: Lol
ME: That was your cue to name a hobby at which I do not suck.
JIM: Oops.
JIM: Writing. Cookies.
ME: Writing - not a hobby.
ME: Cookies - form of sustenance required for life.
JIM: [redacted]
ME: Well, now that makes this conversation unfit for the blog.
I love to hike. I am the world's slowest hiker, and was even before my health issues. I used to weight-train before the Knee Incident, but you'd better believe I'm not posting my lifts. We won't even get into my "dancing."
I played the cello from second grade until midway through high school, and still have my cello (albeit in grave need of repair). I was a terrible cellist.
I learned the basics of piano from my mother, a virtuoso classical pianist who has performed at Carnegie and Tanglewood. The apple fell very far from the tree.
I like to do needlework, and color, and decorate cakes, and keep plants, and various crafty things that help keep Michaels in business. I suck at all of the above (and I'm so slow on needlework I still haven't gotten to Boy's Christmas stocking by age 17). I have the creative heart of an artist without the... what's the word... talent.
Sucking at a hobby doesn't really remove the joy from it, at least, not if you remove your ego from the equation. It just limits the opportunity. I still like plunking about on the piano, but I don't do it where ears can hear. I decorate cakes for my family, and at least they're tasty. And the remains of my attempts at gardening make for good mulch.
One thing at which I don't entirely suck is photography. It's turned into a small side business, and with the acquisition of my new Nikon (thanks Dad!), I'm hopeful to expand my skills to do much better work. In the meantime, convention season is looming...
ME: So, funny story.
JIM: What
ME: I needed to order the canvas print rack before the next show so I can efficiently display the prints. The rack was finally on sale for $35 plus $10 shipping. But if you bought certain products that the site had on sale, your whole order ships for free. Devious weasels.
JIM: Yep
ME: So I wandered around the site looking for products that offered free shipping at about the same price as the shipping. And I found a set of acrylic paints that costs $12. Well, if I have to pay the extra cash anyway, why not get something for it instead of wasting it on shipping?
JIM: ...
ME: Which is how I ended up ordering paints approximately 400 years after the last time I painted anything.
JIM: Lol
ME: I am the world's worst painter. My paintings are buried in the basement where they won't get loose and hurt someone. Someday I need to develop a hobby at which I don't suck.
JIM: Lol
ME: That was your cue to name a hobby at which I do not suck.
JIM: Oops.
JIM: Writing. Cookies.
ME: Writing - not a hobby.
ME: Cookies - form of sustenance required for life.
JIM: [redacted]
ME: Well, now that makes this conversation unfit for the blog.
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