Every one of us might have a list of hobbies. To mention a few of mine (most of them short lived)
Dancing
I loved to dance. But I hated it when it came to attending tiresome classes and eventually ended up in discontinuing. Since then I had performed on so many stage shows under my mom's guidance. This was my first hobby and now its almost died off.
Singing
Initially I was forced into this. Though I was not so good at this as I was in dancing, it got quiet interesting as time passed by. I stopped attending classes after I became a software engineer. But I can still manage to sing a classical number at a family function or so.
Teaching
One interesting activity that kept me busy for hours....All about this, I had mentioned in my previous blog.
Versification
Inspired by a friend of mine, I took to writing poetry during my high school days. I do write one or to pieces occasionally.
Short Story writing
An activity that really requires a lot of creativity. For me this was easier than writing poetry.
Needle work and Embroidery
This was introduced as a subject in school when I was in class 5. Until class 4 it was drawing and painting, something I wasn't capable of doing. So this appealed more to me and I learnt it quickly. Making my own hand kerchiefs was more exciting to me than having a cartoon painted in my drawing book.
Crochet
After needle work it was crochet. I hated this until I really learnt the knack. Making hairbands, mats and caps from a bundle of wool was good enough to keep me engaged during my summer vacations.
Stamp collection
A very short lived hobby of mine. It was my cousin's idea and both of us started to create an album with some rare stamps. The album is still available in my cupboard at home.
Coin collection
Another short lived one. My dad handed over his collection of coins which I have safeguarded for some time and would occasionally add one or two coins to the collection. I believe this collection is also still preserved in my cupboard at home.
Post card Collection
Post card photos were a craze for some time. While travelling, we (my brother and me) used to purchase a set of photo post cards and have them labelled and arranged in an album.
Picture Albums
Yet another idea from my cousin. Collecting pictures based on different topics and pasting them on a A4 size notebook. It started with the Disney and cartoon stickers and went on to several topics related to science, sports and everything on earth.
Puzzle solving
There was a time when I used to look out for the puzzle section (I forgot the name) Saturday's Young world, a supplementary magazine to the "Hindu" newspaper. Working out Maths quizzes and puzzles are/were my favourite pass time. Recently its the Sudoku that's keeps me busy at times. Shakuntala Devi's puzzles are all time fascinating. Preparing for a PCM or IGSC scholarship exam was far more interesting than doing my regular coarse of homework.
Reading
I don't remember reading much during my school days except for the editions of Champak, Tinkle and Gokulam. I took up reading recently in order to avoid boredom when the Television set disappeared from my house in Chennai. I started with the Sherlock Holmes series and then with some of Sydney Sheldon, Arthur Hailey and Chetan Bhagath
Greeting Card Collection
Another favourite hobby of mine. Started with the collection of greetings I received for my birthday when I became 12. From then, I have been adding all kind of greeting cards to my collection.
Handicrafts
Am not very good at art. But I could manage making greeting cards, envelopes, shoe flowers, plastic garlands, etc....Some of these would come handy when it comes to the doll arrangement for Dashera (Navarathri).
Apart from all these, there are other things that caught my attention. I wanted to learn keyboard and Veena (I never succeeded). Window shopping is yet another activity that I used to kill my weekends in Chennai. Riding my bike was another activity I enjoy in order to kill my free evenings.
As every other child, indoor games were a major source of pass time during childhood. When the summer vacation began, we cousins used to spend a day to go out and shop on indoor games and sports material. Some of the indoor games that used to keep us seated for hours together were aggrevation, cards, Tell Me Quiz, Gold cup cricket, Brainvita, Business, Chinese checkers and Uno Cards. There was one fabulous but simple game with sea shells which our aunt taught us to play and we spent hours together on this. As far as outdoor games are concerned I don't remember playing anything other than skipping and Badminton. Occasionally, it used to hide and seek and Pande (a very old game where you hop into boxes drawn on the ground after throwing a stone on one of the boxes). Occasionally I used to go cycling along with friends and cousins.
As of date, my pass times include listening to music and watching movies. Chatting and orkuting are others.
I am sure anyone who reads will have a list of the same size or may be a bit bigger one.
