Searching for a Hobby


Man gardening

I had a discussion with a 65-year-old about retirement.  He told me that he has no intention to retire because he doesn’t have any hobbies.  “What will I do every day?”  I’m several years away, but I’ve already had people asking me what I plan to do during retirement.  I don’t know for certain, but I know this:  I do NOT plan to continue to work simply because I don’t have any major hobbies.   

This thought process put me on the path to consider hobbies I might enjoy.  My first approach was to think of things my coworkers enjoy doing and ponder if I might enjoy any of those things.  I was quickly able to cross a number of activities off the list.  Not a big fan of outdoor activities, so hunting, fishing, gardening, etc., got nixed.  I know a lot of people who are passionate about golf, but with my personality, every club and the bag would quickly be thrown into the nearest water hazard.  How about hitting the gym to work on that perfect bod?  I have already posted a blog about my inability to commit to exercise, so that might not be realistic.  Man, this is hard.


Man building model ship

So many hobbies require talent, skill, and patience, like woodworking, model building, knitting, and other crafts.  When I worked in the Arts, Literature, & Sports Department, we received a book on creating your own tabletop fountains.  That sounded cool, so I started reading it.  I figured by the time I bought all the materials I needed, I could just buy a fountain that was ready to plug in.  That seemed to be true for many of the craft project books I went through.  I admire people who have the patience and desire to undertake such projects.

Where does all this leave me?  Well, the library has a tremendous number of books and often DVDs on just about every hobby you can imagine.  I will take advantage of the fact that I am here a lot, and figure out something that I’d like to try.  If you are in the same situation, visit your local library and take advantage of the huge selection of materials.  Moreover, please don’t let a lack of hobbies prevent you from retiring!  Good luck!

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