Portland, Oregon

Portland, Oregon

Thursday, March 17, 2016

Exercise and Hobbies

There's a lot of talk about elders living longer who stay active and have hobbies.  I don't know if these things make you live longer but they certainly keep you from being bored.

I have to admit I learned very quickly all I needed to know about exercise, no need to do that again. Oops, no, that's the wrong answer.  I do not regard exercise as a hobby.  Hobbies are activities I do for pleasure. I do not find pleasure in exercising. Nevertheless it has to be done.

I've tried many hobbies but I've mastered very few. In my younger days I was queen of crafts and hobbies.  These days, not so much.  I still knit, but only socks.  I still enjoy reading but that has changed drastically.

Up until about the last five years I read nothing but nonfiction. After I'd been retired a while I decided to venture off into fiction. These days I enjoy fiction in audible form but haven't read a nonfiction book in a very long time.

I've gone digital.  I read all the time but almost never a cover to cover book.  I've succumbed to the Internet and read bits and pieces everywhere.  I rather like that.  I seldom need to know a whole book's worth of anything.

I was never a collector although I see some collections that look fascinating.

I've never been one to join groups like book clubs and knitting groups but that certainly appeals to many people.

I have one hobby I've tried very hard to leave behind but it's too much a part of my being, politics.  I'm a political animal.  It's good that I'm a loner because believe me people will cross the street to avoid you if they think you're going to talk about politics.

I did genealogy for a while and that was interesting but I noticed people's eyes quickly glazed over if you tried to talk about your ancestors.

The other interest I was passionate about for a time was religion. Oh my goodness, could I tell you some stories about that subject. Even worked in a seminary 17 years. No more, been there, done that and bought the tee-shirt on that one.

You can see I was not good at picking hobbies.  Hopefully you've had better luck.

How do you feel about exercise and hobbies?

5 comments:

  1. I've been a walker for years. Love to walk. Walk fast and irritate anyone walking with me. I've especially enjoyed walking when I've had a dog, because of the companionship and the knowledge that I'm helping the dog's health, too. I've been going to an exercise class at our community building for six-seven years now, three mornings a week. This group of fellow retirees who've become friends complain loudly each time we meet, but we know we need to keep moving, so we do. I'm thankful I learned to knit once I retired. I love to knit. I still enjoy "projects" of almost any kind: knitting, sewing, salt dough, mason jars, felt,...the kitchen counter is often littered with one of my underway projects. I like keeping myself busy. Wish I'd keep myself busier with housework!

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  2. I enjoy exercise but like it in conjunction with my hobby which is gardening. Right now I am sore all over as Spring is finally letting me get my hands dirty, back bent and legs aching. Such fun.

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  3. I am a loner too.
    I don't think of my activities as "hobbies" because whatever I do, I take seriously, even if it is seriously having fun. For a while after retiring I did a lot of sewing. Lately I've only touched my sewing machine to mend something. But I might get back to that. Exercising is serious business and most days takes about two hours, with walking and physical therapy floor exercises. Gardening is hard work but I love the results. I cook so I can eat what I like to eat. I read fiction when I have time, and watch TV in the evenings. I listen to the news/talk radio in the mornings. I follow politics in the political seasons like this one. I blog and read and comment on blogs. I run out of time every day.

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  4. I don't like to excercise other than walk...never did. But I love to eat (not cook) and I'm fortunate to still be fairly thin. I do enjoy walking. Hobbies...not so much either. I do like gardening, some TV (my favorite is Finding Your Roots on PBS), an occasional movie if I can find one for adults, interesting blogs and articles on the Internet. I'm addicted to my iPad. Politics are interesting this year for sure. Religion has never held an interest other than why some people are so arrogant and self righteous about it. Love pets, but mine have all passed. I also like to travel, but being a widow with no traveling companion has stopped that. I'm trying to become content with just a simple serene life as I age.

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  5. Sadly, I MUST exercise so I do my Zumba and tai chi. Unfortunately, it's not enough. Sigh...

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