Women: what are your hobbies and interests?

I paint because it’s cheaper than therapy.

I sew because it’s a useful skill that provides instant gratification.

I cook because it reminds more that there are some things I DO have complete control over.

I attend two months of renaissance festivals every year, because it’s hella fun to be outgoing sometimes. I’m a terrible wallflower, but when I’m garbed up and the mead is flowing, I’m the life of the party. It’s really the only time I’m counted among the ‘in crowd’.

As far as support goes, apart from my husband there isn’t really anyone around to approve or disapprove. He doesn’t mind what I do, and doesn’t really ‘get’ visual arts. Not an aesthete by any means.

When I was younger, I suppressed my artistic inclinations because they weren’t supported by the people managing my life for me. But, none of those people are involved with my life any more.

Americans with Disabilities Act! I should be able to participate!

I… uh… have nothing to add…

@drhat77 You’re a girl?

My biggest ones are wine, painting, and reading/writing. I like wine so much that it became my job, and the nice thing that there’s basically an endless pool of knowledge out there if you want to learn it. My favorite way to learn about wine is to read up on a certain type while drinking the wine from that chapter. Writing my own tasting notes and reviews has forced me to pay more attention to what I’m drinking and notice more details.

Reading and writing are sort of a cycle, where doing one enhances the other. I’m a book omnivore and I’ve started writing short stories for fun, with mixed results.

With painting, I really want to learn how to paint daylight better. If you don’t get it right, the painting looks sort of dead. Some paintings seem to glow with natural light; I want to learn how to do that.

These are all things you can do by yourself, and the people in my life are generally positive about it. When I was younger and went to art school, nobody wanted me to go. As long as I have a job they don’t really mind what else I do.

@JLeslie , I am not, and I demand inclusion. I think I can get it via ADA. I’m pretty sure msot of you ladies would qualify the Y chromosome as a genetic disability. Amarite, ladies?

I’m going to ask the same Q to men, don’t fret.

Writing, gardening, humor, comedy, animals, especially horses, cats and geese/birds. Wildlife rehab/preservation, birding, travel, movies, fluther. haha

I do decoupage. I can take free classes at the local community college through my job, and I did not need any academic classes, because I already have a degree, but I could take any art classes. I took a faux finishing class about 10 years ago and one of the faux finishes we learned was decoupage. I consider myself a decoupage artist. I don’t sell it, I do it for myself and I make gifts for people. It’s time consuming but the results are worth it. I could probably sell it, but I think it’s something that people would not really appreciate the amount of labor that goes into it. If I were to sell it, I would have to learn shortcuts. Since I do it only for my pleasure, I can be very fussy about the detail and quality of the work that I put out. I am detail oriented when I do it, and that makes for a good result. I also found out the hard way that polyurethane is not something you should do in high humidity, so now I don’t do it in the summer.

Other than that, I like to travel, I like to read, and I like to shop. I really like spending an afternoon in a small town in a coffee shop, reading, or in a bookstore, reading. Free time is limited for me, so I don’t get to do that very often.

I also like movies but again, since my free time is limited, I don’t go too often. I can watch Netflix, but with daughter always wanting “my show” meaning her show, that does not happen too often, now.

I would like to get into exercising. I had a great time bike riding on vacation recently, and it reminded me of how much I used to enjoy bike riding when I lived in my last apartment. I also used to walk the track, for weight loss, and I would like it if I could somehow incorporate that into my schedule now. It’s unfortunate that in the area of the country that I live in, it’s cold for about 4–6 months out of the year, which is an excuse (or reason?) for me to postpone that plan.

My interests change over time as I have time and money.

In nice weather: hiking, camping, biking, motorcycling, swimming, rock climbing.
When I have time: jewelry making, stained glass, gardening, canine agility, canine obedience.
When I have money: home improvement projects, travel, travel, travel.
All of the time: reading.

@jca – I’m very interested in decoupage. Do you have any pictures of your work?

Reading, collecting antiques, sailing, hiking, camping, being outdoors, kayaking, collecting art, and live music.

@Seek_Kolinahr: I will tag you in some on FB or send them to you.

My hobbies have evolved as I have gotten older. When I was younger I enjoyed smaller projects, usually something crafty, picture frames, baby clothes then on to a log cabin quilt. The past twenty years or so it is more on the lines of antique collecting, shows, making junk into something vintage looking and my favorite is anything that has to do with outdoor landscaping specializing in watergardens and fountains. I have put in a dozen or so watergardens including waterfalls and koi. I will have at least two or more at my new home. I can’t wait until next summer to get started!

Our @jca is a very skilled lady!

I also bought tools for jewelry making but I never learned it. I have a coworker who does it, and supposedly it’s very easy, but to me, it’s easier to do decoupage because I know it.

I have a brand new sewing machine and in the past, I have made curtains and pillows, and that’s my intention to do, again, asap.

I don’t really have hobbies per se but I am passionate about yoga, UFO’s, vitamins and herbs, vegetarianism, crystal skulls and animal rights. I support our local food bank. I also am interested in faith healing but am not a firm believer to say the least. New findings or should I say ancient beliefs regarding cannabis for heallth are also fascinating to me.

I’ve been interested in crafts since I was very young. I have tried just about everything. I mostly settled on yarn crafts for the past 50 years, although not to the exclusion of others.

For about 10 years I was interested in square dancing and became very proficient at it, including the competition level. When we moved to Northern California, we lost interest due to the lack of advanced clubs.

I used to volunteer with various organizations I belonged to, but I became more and more sedentary the past five or six years. Now I just do computer work/play and play with my two youngest grandkids.

@YARNLADY: are you the same Yarnlady who has a website and blog?

I have an interest in astrology and stuff like that, but I don’t spend a lot of time on it.

I write, geocache, roller blade, and I love Anthropology.
I have been writing since I can remember.
I read a book about a girl who went geocaching, and decided to try it. I loved it.
I started roller blading when I was seven. My sister taught me how, and I have been ever since.
I got interested in Anthropology recently, when I enrolled in the class.

@jca probably not. I have a blog, but I don’t have a website. I am not the owner of the former yarn store in Laguna Beach. I also don’t have a facebook account.

I like exercising, listening to music and playing DS games.

Cross-stitching and reading are two major ones…oh, and lately, computer programming.

Music, local benefit events, cars/mechanics, animals, helping others, I love keeping house & yard work. Reading is #1.

Oh, I forgot to mention eating. lol

I go to gym whenever I have free time, my favorite way to spend time. You feel happy, you look better, you are in a better mood, you are healthy, what can be possibly be better than this.

^^^ Beer and cheesecake! lol