Extracurricular Activities -- okay flist, what do YOU do for fun and games?

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So, was talking to sanginmychains about knitting today. And yesterday. And over the last month. Slowly but surely, she is somehow tickling my curiosity enough to give it a try. I think. She's even found me a good knitting store... oy oy oy! (And, I agreed to check it out during lunchtime this week!! oy oy oy!)

This is the darn thing that started it all, when I got it in the mail:

Isn't it gorgeous? You know you think it is. I do. I have it sitting in a clear baggie next to my monitor so I can pet and admire it.  But really, this isn't what it was meant to do with its life.  

This has got me to thinking.  I have not indulged in a hobby in a long, long time. I used to do all sorts of things creative--from painting to drawing to gardening and even cross-stitch.  I loved it all, but...I don't do any of it anymore.  Sure it is a lack of time but also, there is always so much to do I don't take time for pure creativity  (see previous post's whine).  Oh and I am not talking about writing, which I am making time for (not enough, but working on it, and today I was really good about writing, and also getting some crit work done woo) and reading.  I am, actually, about to finish reading a book I started only Monday. Whoa.  

But, I'd like to open my mind to the possibility of something else.  And yes there is knitting, but that is a rather solo endeavor, which may just work out.  I'm curious though what my flisters like to do with their free time.

So! Flisters!  Do tell me!  What do YOU guys do for fun? Outside of lj, outside of work, outside of school, outside of writing.  What creative world do you dive in? I'd love to know.  Who knows, you may inspire me like Sang has.  You never know....

C
 

Comments

[contrarywise]

I'm another of those rabid knitters. (And another fan of Sang's handspun, mmmm... I totally know how you feel about that yarn--I have a skein of her Ianto two-ply yarn that I take out and pet and purr over from time to time. *hearts it*) I don't have anything on the needles currently, I should really remedy that. Since I'm mostly unemployed these days, I'm doing my best to knit from my (huge) yarn stash, although I'm planning my annual trip out to the MA Sheep and Woolcraft Fair, where I will no doubt spend far too much money on more yarn and fiber. I'm also making a vague attempt to get back into spinning and to give crochet a try.

Aside from that and being constantly entertained by the Love Cats, the dance/theatre group I work with (I almost said "belong to", which is perhaps a bit more true than I'm comfortable with) has eaten a lot of my time and energy. Big Moves is full of awesome and talent and win. I love performing with them, and I'm on their Board as well. Mostly I belly dance, but Big Moves has given me the opportunity to explore other dance genres as well, and I've really enjoyed that, hip-hop especially. I can dance, act and sing, so I have a fair amount of flexibility with the roles I go out for. I was a Theatre major in college, so Big Moves has given me a way to get back into theatre and perform again.

I also play and teach djembe and dunun (West African hand drums and bass drums, respectively) and other percussion instruments. At least, I do when I'm not recovering from a broken arm. *grumble* The community that has formed around the drumming school I work with is really wonderful and full of good and generous people. And drumming has helped to keep me sane and functional in a serious way. When I get home from teaching a drumming class, I'm usually bouncy and happy into the next day and sometimes beyond.

I also love to read, although most of my reading is online these days. Aside from my flist, TW3, and a list of knitblogs I follow (which I'd be happy to point you to if you're interested), I've been enjoying many of the LGBTfest stories that have been posted and am looking forward to TARDIS Big Bang when those stories are posted. Aside from that, I've got a couple of non-fiction anthologies, Palimpsest and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies queued on my reading table and ready to be devoured.