#being an adult
gardentea-deactivated20200527:
On Hobbies
Literally get into an activity that involves touching things or You. Will. Die.
It can be so easy in this day and age to feel like that’s not an option, and binge culture has made the sickening descent into couch-based isolation and lack of self-discipline not only acceptable but a “fun personality trait” for many. But sometimes, often, you need to give your brain a break from consuming and Create something. You need to give yourself time. To think. And maybe even do something with your hands while your imagination roams free.
I’ve been addicted to social media. I’ve defended social media. I’ve nearly fist fought my parents for trying to take my phone (they were absolutely in the wrong). I’ve had multiple twitters at the same time. I don’t have a twitter anymore. I’ve been depressed, and scared, and wanted nothing more than to escape the ceasless, screaming void that was my life.
Filling that void with the internet did nothing for me. It was help from my oldest sister that did. Her and her husband got me out of my house, taught me how to be a healthy adult, then set me loose.
What does this have to do with hobbies?
My wife has severe seasonal depression. This fall, she is doing amazingly better than usual, and I couldn’t be more proud of her. She picked up sewing in September. Now she spends hours a day working on projects, watching videos, or planning what new dress she can make out of a tablecloth. It gives her mind something to do to take her mind off the cold. It also lets her interact with the winter by taking charge of her fashion and making warm clothes that she likes and has a personal connection to. And at the end of a long project, she always has a new piece of clothing. Something she produced and can take pride in.
It has also helped her relationship with others. In our group of friends, she has already gotten several requests to hem or adjust clothes, which makes her feel very needed and grows a sense of community. [Side note: I love my awesome wife and could gush about her all day] She also watches YouTube videos of clothing makers while working and gets all kind of inspiration from them that she loves to tell me about. When I see the light shining in here eyes my heart fills with the joy she’s found. Plus I got some new pajama bottoms.
I like vegetable gardening. I don’t currently have a garden but I’m working on getting a plot in the town community garden. In the meantime I’ve started following different gardening or nature-centric people on social media, and I’m going to start researching different gardening tips. The plan is to one day interact with other people who share my interests and make friends, but even just now I recognize how happy it makes me to look into those things. It calms my heart and reminds me to be kind.
I also realized I kind of have a knack for building things out of cardboard. First it was a box/jungle for our cat that I made from 12-4am for no reason but I love him, and then a dinosaur for a school project.
So—and this is where it starts getting applicable to your own life—I’m going to ask all my friends for their spare cardboard whenever they get it and I’m just going to make things. Animals. Decorations. Unsturdy shelves. Some of the things I make are probably going to be really crappy, but I’ll also get better as I go on. Hopefully someday when I have money to spend I’ll turn this into actual woodworking. But for now, I have cardboard and a pocket knife, and I’m going to put my grubby little hands all over it and have some fun.
Crocheting? Baking? Painting? Building? Making sculptures out of pipe cleaners? Practicing your handwriting? Scrapbooking? Cutting up all your blankets then stitching them together in different patterns?
It’s not only good but necessary for your mental, emotional, and physical health to take your eyes off of a screen and make your hands do something tactile every now and again. Or even more often than not. But right now, just start something. Anything. You don’t have to show anyone, you don’t have to be good at it as long as it makes you feel good. Looking for ideas or intimidated by how hard something seems? The internet, with all its greedy human pitfalls, is an incredible tool for learning things. Use it for good.
Don’t only consume. Create.
adventurecore ideas
- pack a lunch of fruit, granola, small snacks, toast, etc!! and don’t forget a water bottle!!
- bring a flashlight and gloves wherever you go
- mark your path with something eco friendly, like stones or sticks!!
- geocaching…
- have a picnic with some friends!! hiking trips!!
- have food to feed birds or geese if you’re near a pond… make sure it’s peas, corn, seeds, etc, and not bread
- get crafty!! handmade maps, notebooks, sundials, bags, a lot of things!!
- keep a journal of interesting information handy!!
- draw or press some plants you find (be careful though!!)
My therapist told me that I needed to carve out time for myself where I’m actually alone or else the parental burnout I’ve described will continue.
I got too mad at my kids the other day for stupid shit, and that’s been happening a lot more lately. She said it’s burnout, it happens to everyone though many parents won’t admit it, and that it won’t go away unless I take actual steps to address it.
I hate that.
I know I have to do it, like I have to do lots of stuff, and that’s always been my problem. I need to see a dentist and a doctor and all kinds of adult maintenance crap. It’s boring and tedious and mildly terrifying.
But today I’m playing Pokemon Go. Wilder bought me a Johto event ticket and I’m looking forward to seriously enhancing my shiny collection. I think of it as the self care that I’m always trying to avoid.
My favorite thing about Yor and Twilight is that both their jobs are designed for cut-throat perfection. There are no in-betweens, no excuses or second chances where assassination and espionage are concerned. Which is why seeing them both warm up to parenting is so wonderful.
They both make their fair share of mistakes, whether it’s running out of patience or simply being at a loss on how to deal with a child of Anya’s age and temperament.
But at the end of the day, they end up being the two most important people in Anya’s life without even realizing it because they keep trying.
They acknowledge their flaws but more importantly they try to fix them and grow from them - for both Anya’s sake and each other’s.
They know their circumstances are far from perfect. They know that they are far from perfect. But that doesn’t stop them from wanting a happy childhood for their daughter - and really, isn’t that the best any parent could ever want for their child?