This is one of those winter opinion pieces that I write because, quite frankly, I have too much time to think. I have a lot of discussions with one of my friends on a variety of topics. In a lot of ways we have the exact same opinion. There isn't any debate. Usually we can't figure out why humans do certain things.
One subject that came up was hobbies, actually people that don't have any. My dad for example, really didn't like to do anything. His favorite thing was to sit around the house and watch television. Of course my mom dragged him on day trips, but he never would go on his own. When I was growing up, he would take me fishing, but he would sit in the car and read the newspaper. I was telling this story to my friend. He relayed a story of a retired person that he knew that just sat around on the couch all day, not even watching tv, just because he couldn't think of anything to do.
WHAT!!! The amount of things to do on this planet is endless. How is it possible not to be interested in something. Yes, of course we all have days where we can't think of something to do. I have this problem a lot in the summer if I didn't make plans before my day off. If I wake up without a plan, that's when I lollygag and end up wasting half the day. What I don't comprehend is not having an actual hobby or a passion. For me, it is especially hard to understand, because I lust life.
Of course I have a ridiculous amount of hobbies. I consider each species I fish for as a different hobby. Why? Because if I trout fish three days in a row, I feel I'm taking time away from stripers or vice-versa. Also, you need different equipment for different fish.
Quite honestly, I don't have enough time to do all my favorite things. More importantly, I sure as hell don't have the money to do everything I'd like. Just off the top of my head my favorite things to do (as you have read about exploits anyway) include:
Fishing for carp, trout, stripers, blues, albies. I'll go fishing for largemouth bass, sea bass, and try for weird fish such as lake trout, salmon, shad, and bowfin. I hike to four thousand foot mountains in New Hampshire. I also go to mountain lakes, waterfalls, and smaller mountains with views. I love going to plays, fireworks, movies, and concerts. Clearly, I spend a lot of time in the woods or on the beach birding. If I were rich I'd be travelling all over the west, but since I'm not, I'll settle for a vacation a year. One of my favorite things to do is photograph animals. Other hobbies of mine include making my own gear, tying my own flies, organizing and cataloging my equipment and reading. When I was a kid I collected baseball, football, and basketball cards. I also wrote letters to my favorite athletes and actors asking for their autograph.I did this for years and I have hundreds. I also used to go to all high school football and basketball games and took my son to them.
Here is the thing, it doesn't matter what I enjoy doing. There are literally million of things I am not interested in doing that others are passionate about. I have absolutely no interest in owning or riding a motorcycle. I do not possess the skills to fix up old cars. I really don't want a stamp or coin collection. However, these hobbies along with many others have huge followings. I have a friend that is more passionate about brewing his own beer than he is about drinking it. The point is there is so much out there.
I know some of you are thinking "mind your own business". You are probably right, everyone has the right to go through life the way they want. I just believe we are here for such a short amount of time and there is so much to see and do, it is a waste of a life to go through it bored. Like I said, I lust life. I will never do everything and see everything I want. I'll never feel like I caught enough stripers. But if my life ended tomorrow, no regrets, because I sure as hell tried to!
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