Hobbies

The dictionary defines a hobby as a leisure activity done regularly for pleasure. So, does it also mean that stamp (and other things) collecting, reading, writing, hearing music, watching movies, singing, dancing, playing the piano, travelling, swimming or playing any sport, playing with your pet all hobbies?

Not all in the above list can be called as hobbies – I think – because not all seem to be activities in the reasonable sense of the word. Hearing music can’t be a hobby and so is reading. Well, one might defend reading as a hobby, but I think only if some conditions prevail.

Classifying how we spend our time?

We spend our time either creating, or consuming or resting. If you think its stupid of me to make such a classification, then that would be fair. For instance, without consuming and resting – both which allow for maintenance – creating would be impossible. But the separation is still important to understand the essence of a hobby.

Defining A hobby

So, I’d like to define a hobby as an activity that results in a build up of a body of work – a tangible output. You may be a bird-watcher and so you might be maintaining a field diary of different birds you have seen, their photographs. Your inputs may include field guides, reference books, binoculars etc and above all, your dedication and time. May be then, a hobby is a lot like work, just a lot more fun.

Reading - say history books – too results in a build-up of historical insights. But I don’t think all types of reading can qualify. Most of it is passive and just doesn’t adds up. Like reading newspapers!

An activity should be such which requires application of the mind and that engages it and doing it makes you better at it. Your precision of that task improves.

Summing up a hobby is an activity you do regularly for pleasure, the task is absorbing and doing it makes you better at it.

My hobbies

I deliberate on writing, though I don’t think I write a lot. I like the aesthetics of words and the tranquilizing effect it has on the mind. It combs the mind and help organize my thought, like this essay.

I read books on history, economics health and fitness along with fiction. I want to especially gain some insights into evolution and the human body processes to be able to lead a healthy life.  I also want to try out origami, sketching and painting among other things.

Making an exception

At the two day freelance journalism workshop they asked us to deposit Rs 500 on the first day along with the registrations, which was for securing our attendance on the second day. This put me in a bit embarrassing position, as I didn't have the required token.

And this time, there were girls doing the registrations, and when I told them the fact they did show some surprise. Taking it light, I gave an alternative.

I told them to keep my Voters ID card, which to them was not as credible or valuable as Rs500. (why else would they haggle and ask me if I could borrow, etc) Giving up, they decided to let go and "make an exception".

Well I think the exception was not really great, may be even forced but hope many people make more meaningful exceptions and it would be great if the girls lead the way.

At home, after the workshop, some related thoughts came to my mind. Well they had blackmailed me into coming the next day. I thought poking a joke like, ‘guess, why am I here’ could really be fun besides marketing democracy and our invaluable asset, the voters card. That’s because, Chinese don’t have it, do they?

The next day came, but I didn’t get a chance for this simple fun and reflection

May be it’s just, many good things that we think of, don’t get their way out or may be, I should have gone that extra bit, following it up with a thank you chocolate, and thus would have made a small exception too!

Jokes apart!

We, friends were in Planet M, looking for movie CD's and cracking jokes and so ......looking ....looking ...., Sushil found one of the Mozart symphonies which he wanted and which was a part of a pricey CD which made him feel kleptomanic, but gasping along we thought we'd asked Robin, who was fond of the maestro's work, so could have had the particular CD.

Sushil said he had a couple of others but not this one! Robin didn't even have those so, in excitement asked Sushil, "where did you get it from?".

"Oh, Just copied from somewhere" Sushil said. I was besides them, interested myself!

"Oh terrible!" Robin exclaimed. "Because of you guys, students don’t get scholarships to learn music. You Economist don't understand this!" Robin responded.

"So what, did Mozart also get a scholarship?" came out of me!

Well I don’t have a clue about it (Mozart getting a scholarship or not) but he had a point but we still had a good laugh at the expense of his thought.

Whose plan is considered ?

Once in my Urban Economics lecture, we were studying the subject of urban planning.

After discussing some approaches to urban planning like - an environmentalist's plan, a geographer's plan, an economist's plan, etc, I found it curious and asked our professor, "Mam, finaly, whose plan is considered." and she instantly replied, "A politicians plans !"

We all had a good laugh without any arguments !