Don't ask

There are certain questions that I just hate being asked. At the top of the list? "What are your hobbies?"

Easy question, right? I know it should be. I mean, what's a hobby? That thing you do in your spare time, what you do for fun, how you enjoy yourself while finding personal fulfillment, and things you are good at, yeah?

In my spare time, I watch way too much online TV and eat chocolate. I don't think that's a hobby. And I can't say it's all that fulfilling, but it keeps me from going crazy. I listen to podcasts--is that a hobby?

There are other things I like to do, but they aren't things I'm necessarily good at. Lately, you may have noticed, I'm playing at being an amateur photographer. It fills up a lot of time and is a good excuse to go on walks and get farmer tans. But that doesn't mean I'm really good at it. I'm pretty average, really.

Hobbies also make me feel like I'm losing some kind of competition. I am surrounded by highly accomplished, achieving people.* They have oodles of hobbies. And I always draw a blank. "My hobbies? Um, let's see...I like to read?"

Finally, a lot of the things I do I just don't think of as hobbies. They aren't skills I'm trying to hone. For example, I do a lot of baking. But I don't say, "I think I shall go bake so that I can relax, enjoy myself, improve my skills, and find personal fulfillment." I bake because I want cake. I read because there's a good book. I take pictures--well, that one I do sort of try to improve, but not in any kind of organized way.

So, I really just don't like to be asked about my hobbies. It's a no-win question for me. Brownies for whoever comes up with a better question!


*I'm not saying they are overachievers. Compared to me, they are, but I don't think we should adjust the scale to make me normal in this regard. I feel accomplished if I make my bed in the morning.