Category Archives: Happiness

Hobbies Part 1

 

 

 

Is there such a thing as having too many hobbies? I have quite a few. For the most part I hate being bored, simply hate it. Along with that I like to continually learn and improve myself even if is something that is small.

 

My first love is the one I have for books. The feel and smell of one in my hands is one that I continue to enjoy. A good book can take you places that you are not able to visit. A good book helps you forget as your mind is captured by the plot and various characters inside. It is ok to hate one of the people involved it just makes the book more awesome for me. My small problem is I don’t give up my books easily, neither does my husband, so my house soon could become it’s own library.

I am not sure if I can call my birds a hobby or not but they are definitely a love of mine. I have eight and each one has his own distinct and unique personality. Frequently I will take some time to bond with each and every one of them. But I have to make sure I block out enough time. Once I start I am not able to stop until all of them have gotten some mama love. I can’t place favorites on them or at least show it. The way they preen and sing to me is a simple pleasure I wish you all could enjoy. They are fascinating animals and any one who feels they can’t be as awesome as cats and dogs, well they have never been around or owned by one. For that is what it comes down to it, they own me and know it. The time flies as life goes on and my mind clears as they tell me every thing that has gone on since we lasted connected. That for me is pure joy.

Thanks to my husband my love of photography has grown from a simple snap and shoot camera to my digitals. While I am not as experience as my husband is, I am getting there. Due to pawn shops and layaways I have accumulated quite a few. This is a nice time for my husband and I to be together and enjoy a common love. The hours fly by as I try to work on this craft. To get just the right picture that one can be proud of is another simple pleasure that can last for days. It may take me endless shots to get the perfect one but it is worth it.

 

To be continued…

Drawing Class Part 2

In May I signed up for a drawing class called “Drawing On The Right Side Of The Brain” at my local community college. I blogged about it a few times to talk about the ups and downs I had with it. To put it bluntly in a group of seven students I was the only one who had never had a drawing class in her life. Fortunately the instructor was worth her weight in gold and she made the experience simply amazing.

Last week I signed up for the intermediate class and I started this past Wednesday. Looking at the description in the course catalog I wondered if I was getting in over my head. I probably am. But I am not letting this stop me. Fortunately due to the last class I have all the necessary supplies needed.

What I remembered was the commoderie of the other students. Those who were well advance then me but who still gave me encouragement. It was three hours once a week to forget all the stuff that was going on in life and concentrate on the art of drawing.  No matter if I was stressed, not feeling well, worried about this that or another once I entered classroom 139 it all got left behind as the door would shut behind me. There were times I felt so out of my element. There were the times I would show my husband and son what I had drawn and one could see they were trying hard to not hurt my feelings when they tried to figure out what I had attempted to draw. That was tough.

But if I looked from day one to the last there was a vast different in my drawing skills. The very last assignment was for us to draw ourselves while looking at our faces in the mirror. That took every lesson we had learned to get this done. When Nancy came by my spot she looked at my piece and then at me. She told the class when they had a chance to come see my eyes for I had nailed it. That was something that well I can’t even begin to express how that made me feel.

This was one of the best class I had ever taken at this school. But it gave me something much more. Since the class I have sketched. Sometimes it has been to fight off boredom. But most times it had been to unstress from life. The drawings don’t always come out where you know what the heck it is but practice does help. This has been a new tool for me to use and it is something I am truly grateful for.

So yes round two started. I am sure it will be six weeks of woohoo and also good gosh girl why the hell did you take this class? It will be one where I will feel inapt compared to the other students versus when Nancy stops by and tells me in her soft voice, “Yeah there you got it.”

But it will give me new ammunition to my budding drawing skills. I have had people laugh at my sketches and also make fun of me taking the class. But that is okay it really is. For it is now more than just a class I take one day a week. It gives me a piece of mind when I need it. So I got one class down.  Even though it has been months since I have stepped in this room I feel right at home. I am loving it.