Beekeeping: You will probably get stung, but it’s worth it!
I started keeping bees two summers ago. Bees are fascinating creatures, and learning about their social lives — the workings of a hive, how they make group decisions, and how to help them thrive — has been a highlight of the last two years for me. Beekeeping is not a hobby for everyone, but beekeeping is definitely an awesome hobby!
Tell me about your offbeat hobbies!
You guys are always full of surprising, fantastic ideas and projects (seriously, how do you come up with them?!); there’s just got to be some great extra-work-ular activities out there! Any ideas? Care to share any beekeeping/pottery-throwing/long-boarding/car-camping personal experiences?
Why you should try busking: Yes, even you!
Earlier this year, I took a singer-songwriter course at a local cultural institute, to improve my songwriting. Our tutor encouraged us to play in public as much as possible. Go to open mics, play family parties, play for your friends until they beg you to stop, and also: busk. I’m not here to give you busking tips though; I haven’t got nearly enough experience for that yet. I just want to explain to you why busking is AWESOME, and why you should consider doing it if you play an instrument (or have other performance skills).
6 ways I found time for my favorite hobby again after having a kid
I knew before my kid was born that I would get less sleep and have less free time after having a baby. I didn’t realize how hard it would be to lose my creativity for a while. It felt like losing a piece of my soul. During what we’ve since dubbed the Era of No Sleep, I was exhausted. What energy I had went almost entirely towards caring for my family. I connected with friends and took breaks, but I did not drum, dance, or engage in any of the myriad of crafts I’ve always loved dabbling in.
So you want to give running a try
No one would have ever called me an athlete. The only times I exercised was when I had to in gym class. But I always admired runners because they seemed so dedicated and driven. I tried giving running a shot half-a-dozen times, and quit a half-a-dozen times. Finally I decided to buckle down and do this. Here’s some things I discovered along my journey…
Why I’m choosing to write a book instead of having a second child
But when I take a hard look at my life I have to admit that I have a finite amount of time and energy and everything is a tradeoff. I am acutely aware that I traded a large chunk of my personal time to have a child. And I’ve never regretted that decision for a second. But I would regret a second child. Even if I did publish a novel with two children I would forever wonder what higher levels of success I could have reached had I decided to stop at one and focus on writing instead.
On risk, chasing dreams, and saying goodbye to my child
The greatest thing I can give to her is the command to pursue her own dreams, whatever they may be. And to give her that, I must give it to myself first. That was what I am trying to do. That is all I can say to her. And up the mountain I go.
Ukulele-playing taught me to enjoy bad art
In today’s society, with its emphasis on performance, it’s so easy to feel pressured to be the best. Things aren’t worth doing unless you can do them perfectly. But I call bullshit on that. Here’s how my ukulele helped me get over the pressure to be “the best” and just have fun with the things I love to do.