I think I have too many hobbies. When I was in high school I skied a couple of times and then I bought my own pair (big purchase) because I was so sure I was going to do it all winter. Then I only skied a couple more times ever. Summer rolled around and folks where playing roller hockey in the street, I picked myself up a pair of skates, certain I’d spend all summer out playing, and the skates sat on a shelf in the garage for nearly the rest of their lives. I did the same thing with multiple items, and I still find myself doing it. I buy a quality something because it’s something I really intend to take up, and I rarely do.
I think my skates are still sitting on a shelf in my parents garage. A guitar sits in my closet, I just sold a SLR camera that’s been sitting around, my Greek books were gathering dust on the shelf, multiple books I always intended to read stand unopened. None of these items are bad themselves, but I’m in need of a reality check.
I think we probably all need to assess our “hobbies” and relinquish most of them. If I ever want to pick up serious photograph again there’s cameras out there. For now I should probably just stick to playing soccer more with the new cleats I bought. I think one hobby is probably enough. You might be able to justify two, but only if you actually do them.
I always here people talk about being wise with your money doesn’t mean buying cheap it means buying quality, but I’d argue quality that sits gathering dust in the garage is probably not very wise either.
I’ve certainly got some more things I need to get rid of, reality check here we come.
Update: I totally forgot about my camping gear (tent, sleeping bags, sleeping mats, and a few doohickies)
a couple of years ago i had to make a concious decision as to what i was going to spend my time doing. these are important things to do. finding focus helps you to excel (or at least attempt to) at what you love the most. i gave up 95% of television to write a novel and focus on music. small changes such as these enhance our lives.
I think you are making an association that doesn’t necessarily exist, that trying/taking up a hobby means buying equipment for it. If you want to try soccer, start off with games in the park with normal sneakers. I think the problem occurs when we try to do with equipment what we haven’t put the time in with practice. It’s the idea that I’ll be an awesome guitarist if I had this cool Les Paul, or that I would be a cool cyclist if I had an expensive bike. I am a full advocate of having the quality (and often expense) of your equipment follow the amount and expertise of your use of it. So spend some months taking good pictures with a point and shoot, and then later on if this is something you think you want to pursue in more depth, then you get the more expensive camera.
The other thing is that there is both value in depth and breadth. People who naturally lean towards one often envy those who lean towards the other, but each has its value, and its own way of being responsible within one’s mode of being.
SLR for sale and you didn’t tell me!!!
How would you know, though, really. I love taking pictures and I have this old camera that I was just gettting ready to start using again. I brought my 35mm handbook down from Indiana and was all ready to start taking picture again on a sweet, 1970s Fujica camera. But, alas, one Michael Weatherspoon dashed those hope when he theived my camera. 🙂
I’m all about quality over cheap, but I agree with you on quality that sits it wasted. I too have several pieces of equipment that never got used enough. There all hanging out at my parents house.
Sh4wn, that’s quite inspiring. Have you finished your novel?
Richard, I didn’t intended to make that association as a fact, I was more pointing out how that has very much played out in my life and I have a feeling it often does in the lives of others as well. I’m learning more, like I insisted not buying new cleats until I was playing again regularly.
I think my main concern is this idea that we all have this “quality stuff” for ourselves that we end up rarely using.
Adria, I got another SLR for you…